


Sunstorm

by Scyllaya



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Pagan Gods, Witches, fresh out of Heaven Gabriel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-06
Updated: 2012-11-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 02:41:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 65,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/555984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scyllaya/pseuds/Scyllaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deandalon was not one of the great gods, there was probably nothing that made him any different from the thousands of lesser gods that walked the mortal world, but the day the sky broke open with dazzling golden light and they all thought the Sun fell to the ground only he stayed behind and dared to go to the burning bright archangel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Livejournal on May. 30th, 2011.
> 
> http://scyllaya.livejournal.com/43231.html

 

His day started so well, more than well actually. He woke up between soft sheets next to a nymph, and not the slimy water type but a gorgeous little thing from Crete, perfect curves and silky skin. He might have not counted as someone special among all the gods but the women could never resist his charms. Oh and she did not resist at all. So how on Earth he could’ve known that Pillan was bedding her? And there were two things one had to know about Pillan, he was incredibly powerful and incredibly possessive. And his day started so well…

He managed to shake off the fire spirits the thunder god sent after him, at least for a while. He might not have been the strongest, but he had fast legs and a quick mind and that was all that counted. Sure he was not wise and all-knowing like the old ones, he did not know ancient magic and spells, but he had the wits and the attitude to get along. Even if his big mouth got him in trouble as much as it saved him from. He already accepted that his fate was to be swat by a stronger god sooner or later, but he really wanted it to be later and he certainly didn’t want to be burnt to dust by some nasty fire spirits.

He didn’t know how long Pillan might hold the grudge, but he had to try and focus on the problem at hand. First of all he had to stay alive and get rid of the spirits and after he managed that he could think of a way to placate the angry god somehow. Wargods were easy to charm with shiny gifts so there had to be something he could get later. And it wasn’t like he slept with his wife or one of his daughters – thank the Stars – just one little nymph lover, sure he could be forgiven for it.

Someone as insignificant as Deandalon surely wouldn’t hold the god’s attention for long. He was not one of the great gods, not by any means; there was probably nothing that made him any different from the thousands of lesser gods that walked the mortal world. He had no temple, no statues, not even one little altar, no worshippers, but that was not surprising as there was nothing humans could possibly ask him for. He had no power over the nature, nor the storms or the rain or the brightly shining sun, he couldn’t influence the crop, bless the newborn or give triumph to warriors, and those were the things humans needed from gods, the things they made offerings and sacrifices for. There were no tales of his adventures that mothers told their children, or the old ones to the young at the fire. Surely no human would pray for a troublemaker, because that would be mighty foolish. And it’s not like he would just do what some humans ask from him just because they offer some food and kind words. Sure he helped humans sometimes, the tolerable ones. Little kids lost in the woods or families threatened by bandits, he could be nice after all if he wanted to be, and some humans were just so innocent that seeing their blood spilled would’ve left a sour taste in his mouth.

But he also loved causing more trouble for them. Oh some were so arrogant because of their wealth, fame or power that they just had to be shown that they were nothing but little insignificant mortals and even a lesser god like Deandalon could turn their life into pure suffering with nothing but a snap of his fingers. They soon gave up their high and mighty attitude after that… if they stayed alive that is, sometimes things turned too funny to stop.

His life was good, considering he could always do as he pleased. He peeked out from his hideout to look around for the spirits and it seemed like he really did manage to get away from them. That was a relief.

‘Hey Dean!’ someone shouted and he turned around quickly and noticed the familiar sprite sitting on the top of a tree trunk waving at him. Big grin on his face and his pointy ears and horns barely peeked out from his curly locks so one could’ve thought him to be human if not for the hoofs.

‘Shut up Puck! Get down!’ he whispered back angrily at him, motioning him to get down. He let the nickname go. It used to annoy him endlessly that everyone was disrespecting him by shortening his name, but he really was not strong enough to demand to be called by his proper name. Puck just frowned at him and Dean wanted to strangle him, but the next second he heard the hissing, crackling sound of the fire spirits so he jumped up from his hideout and started to run again.

‘Where’s the fire?’ Puck asked with an amused smile as he watched Dean ran towards him.

‘Behind me! Run!’ Dean shouted at him as he dashed by. Puck looked up and his eyes widened, but he started running too with full-speed. Two of the fire spirits heard them and came sliding through the trees with heat and smoke.

‘What on the bloody Earth did you do this time you pea-brained fathead?’ asked Puck.

‘Slept with one of Pillan’s nymphs,’ Dean answered as they jumped across a stream and started running towards the valley.

‘Oh you dim-witted nutmeg,’ grumbled Puck. ‘They’re gonna burn you to dust.’

‘Don’t I know it?’ Dean snapped back. They were almost out of the woods, not like the trees seemed like any kind of obstacle to the spirits.

‘So what’s the plan? They won’t get tired’ one thing Dean liked about Puck was that he knew trouble as good and closely as Dean did.

‘Get out of their sight and look innocent,’ Dean said and he knew he didn’t have to explain more.

The valley was close and it wouldn’t take much to jump down and transform into something small that would not catch the spirits attention. They were strong, but dumb as dust.

‘Dibs on mountain lion,’ Puck grinned as he jumped and Dean jumped a second later, his mind already picturing what he wanted to be. It took only a second as his bones shifted, his skin adjusted and his arms spread out and morphed to wings. His eyesight sharpened while his body shrunk. He always loved to fly a little as soon as he morphed but there was no time for that so he landed on the first rock he found and busied himself with straightening out some feathers on his wings with his beak.

Just a regular falcon minding its own business, nothing else to see. He was good at hiding and knew his companion was too. He could see as Puck landed somewhat deeper on the cliff as a mountain lion, like promised. He too stretched out on a cliff with no care to the world. Dean felt as his tiny heart speeded up when the two spirits arrived above the valley, their burning cinder eyes roaming the land, but they flew away a few seconds later, just as expected.

He flew down to Puck then shook his feathers morphing back to his usual form.

‘Why do I hang out with you again?’ Puck asked as he too changed back and they started to walk down deeper into the valley.

‘Because I’m funny and adorable, and your life would be mighty boring without me?’ Dean asked with a grin.

‘Or I’m just too kind for my own good,’ Puck said.

‘Or because I can always get fine beer while your brew is like horse piss,’ Dean retorted.

‘Yeah, maybe that too,’ the faun admitted with a chuckle. ‘Now come on, I’ve been looking for you cause I’ve got some good friends visiting.’

‘They better not be leprechauns or gold sprites, you know they want to skin me alive since the last time’ it was most definitely not his fault that the little golden naked ladies caught fire so easily, he couldn’t have known that. And his “I’m sorry I burnt your niece” speech was not as successful as he hoped it would be either.

‘No fairies, don’t worry,’ Puck laughed.

x~x~x

Puck was not lying, his friends were not fairies, but nature spirits. It was ironic considering that he was just running away from some, but the fire spirits were always the nasty ones the rest of them were much more fun to have around. Old patronizing oak trees, a chirping spring breeze, giggling flower girls and animal spirits who just loved to drink. Dean liked them much more than most of the gods, but could see some of them whispering quietly, surely surprised that a god didn’t deem their company to be beneath him.

But after he ran with the wolfs and flew with Ellil – the wind – the whispers turned to smiles and laughter. If he knew one thing well was that how to be one of many, how to whisk suspicion away with bright smiles and kind words. Only one old geezer kept looking at him with narrowed eyes. “Everybody’s friend is true to know one” he growled into his cup. Dean had the urge to snap his fingers and make some woodcutters chop him up to firewood and he was sure that his intention was clear as he locked his green eyes on the spirit because the ent ducked his head and didn’t speak another word.

After that he didn’t pay attention to anyone just kept drinking until the moment a heavy thunder rang. They all fell silent and looked up at the clear blue sky. Dean’s first thought was that Pillan found him, but he dismissed the thought. The other gods felt too superior to get down into the valley like he always did, thus the reason it was his favorite hiding place.

Thunder rang again, but instead of storm clouds, brilliant light started to shine high up in the sky. Even Dean stood up as did Puck and all the spirits and they couldn’t tear their eyes away as the sky broke open with dazzling golden light. It almost burnt his eyes to look and he felt as someone tugged at his arm.

‘We have to run!’ Puck said in a panicked tone. ‘Dean!’ the god didn’t look away. He never saw something like this before. ‘Deandalon! You don’t want to be here when that thing gets close!’ his friend said, but Dean shook him off. ‘Fine, but I’m not burning with you’ he said and the god heard as he ran away, just like the spirits.

Was this the Sun that fell down from Heavens? The golden brilliance filled the entire valley with light, it was too bright for Dean to see what it was, but he felt as the Earth shook under his feet when it reached the top of the hill at the end of the vale. He blinked a few times trying to adjust his eyes to the light and he succeeded after a few moments, and when he could finally see clearly his breath caught in his throat.

Wings, it was the first thing that caught his attention. The being was larger than anything the god had seen before. If it would have stood up it would’ve been taller than the hill itself. Three set of wings were visible, each was bright burning gold and spread so wide that they could’ve covered the sky above the vale, covering it up. It had arms and legs, Dean could see it as it knelt down on the top of the hill. The god couldn’t see the face. He caught glimpses of golden armor between the wings, but nothing more. He wished the creature would turn around as it was covered mostly by its wings like this. And then it started to shrink.

Dean’s eyes widened at the sight and his legs were already moving even before he thought about it. The creature shrunk and even if Dean kept his eyes on it after a few minutes he was gone from his sight, it was only a golden spot on the top of the hill. Dean took the shape of a falcon again and flew towards the hill.

It may have been real foolish of him, but his curiosity often got the better of him. It was maybe a Sun god. Those were the most powerful of all the great gods. There were no great gods living in these lands, Pillan was one of the most powerful ones and he too was nothing compared to the real gods, the creators.

‘Dean!’ he heard Puck’s voice and the sprite was soon flying next to him in the shape of a sparrow. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked. ‘Are you out of your mind?’ his voice still was on the edge of panic.

‘I’m not going to do anything,’ Dean reassured him. ‘I will just be the first one to greet this god,’ he said. It sounded like a very solid explanation; he couldn’t just say that he was curious to see a real Sun god of course.

‘No, Dean’ Puck whined.

‘You can go back if you’re scared,’ Dean told him.

‘That’s not it!’ Puck argued. ‘It’s not a god.’

‘What else could it be?’ Dean asked.

‘It’s an angel,’ That made Dean halt, they were not so far away from the hill now and it was the first time he tore away his eyes from the golden light.

‘Don’t be stupid Puck, angels don’t come down to Earth,’ he said, everyone knew that. ‘And do you think I’m a dimwit?’ he snapped then. ‘Angels are pure white, all of them. This is definitely a Sun god.’

‘Oh listen to me you stupid kid,’ Puck snapped, it was rare that the sprite pointed it out that he was much older than the god was. ‘The first is blazing red flames; the second is the silver light of the stars, the third is dazzling blue thunder and the fourth is the brilliance of the sun… only the lesser angels are pure white. This is one of the archangels!’

‘Brilliance of the sun,’ Dean repeated as he finally slowed down and descended. He landed on one of the high threes folding his wings to his sides and Puck landed next to him. ‘What makes you so sure?’ he asked him then.

‘Because this one was down here before,’ he said.

‘In the valley?’

‘No you dim-witted dogturd, in the world of humans,’ it was fascinating how Puck could still roll his eyes even as a bird. ‘The god Dushara, the one who saw him the last time, made sure to tell everyone to fear the golden angel, because he is the one who brings the judgment of his god, it’s the one sent to destroy… Gabriel.’

Dean looked back towards the hill at the golden light at the very top. Brilliance of the sun… Gabriel.

x~x~x


	2. Chapter 2

 

Puck told him thousand times that they had to go; that the archangel would burn this place up and it was time to run. But Deandalon was no coward… okay so he ran away from fights a lot, but only when nothing was at stake, only when it would’ve been stupid to get his bones broken for nothing. Puck called him crazy, but the god sent him on his way told him to run, while he took flight again. He was slightly surprised that the gods living in the mountains were not already at the hill, but maybe they were also smarter and already left.

By all means he should’ve done the same, but he had to get closer first. One thought was nagging his mind, if it came to burn them up why didn’t it do it already and why did it turn so small, surely it would’ve been easier to smite them all down while being enormous.

He was close enough to see the wings again. All three sets were folded around the angel, encircling it from all sides as it sat there at the top. Dean landed at the other side in a decent distance and morphed back into his normal form. The brightness was still almost too much for his eyes. He stared at the angel and tried to figure out what to do next. Should he speak? Should he move closer? He couldn’t even decide if it was male or female, or maybe none or maybe both. He felt anxious and excited. He took a step closer, but the angel didn’t move or showed any sign that Dean’s presence was acknowledged, but it had to know that he was there; even lesser spirits would’ve noticed him by now as he was not sneaking. It still just sat there encircled in its wings like a big golden ball.

‘Hey, you all right in there?’ he asked and mentally scolded himself for the question immediately after. If he would’ve asked that from a greater god he probably would’ve been hit for it, powerful beings did not like to show weakness. On the other hand it probably sounded friendly so maybe it was not that bad.

He was ignored.

‘I live here you know,’ he continued and took another step forward. ‘Down in the valley I mean, that’s actually my name too, I’m Deandalon. “Valley of Shades”, that’s what it means and it’s the name of this place too, I’m the only one who lives down there with the spirits, so I’m the god of the valley you could say and I heard you’re--’

His babble was interrupted as three wings at the side where Dean stood suddenly snapped open revealing the angel. Dean fell silent immediately as the golden eyes locked on him. He could finally see the whole of the angel. And he still couldn’t decide whether it was male or female. The body looked sort of male, but the face was blank and showed no real features. There were two golden eyes and something like lips, a shape of a nose, but nothing more. He wasn’t even sure if he saw skin beneath the golden armor or was it just light. Its hair looked like liquid light or golden flames blazing smoothly at every movement.

‘You are no god,’ the angel said, its voice sounded like a dozen voices at once, all different but ringing together in perfect harmony. It also was stern and cold to Dean’s ears.

‘I am what I want to be, good, bad and everything in between’ Dean told him with a charming smile.’ And if you want to insult me you have to be a bit more creative than that, I’ve been hearing that one since the day I was born,’ Dean scowled down then at him… her, he really had no idea. Considering that usually when someone tried to take a jibe at him saying this he would bash in their faces he moderated himself perfectly. The angel narrowed its eyes, the golden orbs thinned to slits.

‘Leave,’ it said and folded all wings back to their previous place, making golden ball of the angel again.

‘Okay… um… you didn’t start destroying the place or slaughtering us and I take that as a good sign… so like I said, I live down here… if you--’

‘I said leave,’ thundered the archangel and this time as his wings snapped open Dean was hit by an invisible wave of power and it tossed him down the side of the hill. It burned his skin and he collided with a bigger rock as he fell before he could push himself away from the cliff and morph into a falcon again. His left wing hurt to no end so it meant that his arm was injured. He flew higher up until he could see the angel again. It was still sitting on the same spot, but the wings were open now, spread wide behind its back. The golden eyes locked on him the second he was high enough.

‘You know what scamp?’ Dean said, his voice was always more quiet and a little higher when in bird form but he wasn’t up to land next to the archangel again just so he could speak in a deeper tone. ‘I was just being nice, but you can just rot here all alone you… big half-baked canary.’

He turned and flew away as quickly as he could with his injury and breathed out in relief when he saw that he was not chased. He was actually surprised that he got away with the insult, even if it was a light one. He was usually treated better when he was being nice, and treated worse when he got rude. He landed at the bottom of the cliff and turned back. Sharp pain shot into his left shoulder and he cursed under his breath as he clutched it, flying definitely made it worse.

Sometimes he really hated that he was not invulnerable, that would’ve been the most useful power of all. He just hoped that Creide didn’t flee the valley when the archangel arrived.

x~x~x

‘What the sulfurous goat-biting demon hole happened to ye again?’ shrieked the witch the second she opened her door. Dean knew she was very old even if she didn’t look like it.

‘I was being nice,’ Dean said simply. It took him way too long to reach Creide’s hut as he couldn’t fly or run on four legs and his arm was killing him. ‘Glad you’re still here though’ he said as he got inside.

‘Where else would I be?’ she asked after slamming the door shut.

‘Didn’t you notice?’ Dean asked as she pushed him down onto a stool. ‘An angel came down from Heaven.’

‘Eeh’ she shrugged as she whisked with her hand. ‘Angels, fairies, giants, gods… bright lights, big pride…no manners.’

Dean chuckled at her nonchalant words.

‘But this one’s an archangel, the golden one… Gabriel.’

‘So it’s brighter than the rest, makes no difference,’ Creide answered. ‘Take off your shirt and I look at that wound.’ Dean obeyed, his shoulder hurt and his upper arm was bloody, he really hoped it wasn’t broken. He healed very quickly, but a broken bone would take a day or two and he could never afford to be weakened around here. The witch took a closer look at the wound. ‘How did ye manage to tear your arm up like this?’

‘I was shoved off the hill,’ Dean grumbled.

‘I thought ye were more skilled than that,’ she said with a chuckle while turning back to her table and shelves no doubt already searching for something to help Dean to heal faster.

‘I am, but I couldn’t dodge this one.’

‘Ye have to stop acting like a god.’

‘I am a god, old hag,’ Dean snapped at her. She turned back with a scowl, her long black hair whirling around her thin frame, making all the silver hanged on her jingle.

‘Half a god Deandalon, never forget that,’ she said in an even tone her dark brown gaze fixed on Dean’s face. ‘Patrick!’ she shouted the next second turning her head towards the back. ‘Did ye use up all my sweet grass?’

‘I am busy, Mháthair,’ came the young man’s voice from the back.

‘And I need some sweet grass,’ Creide called back and a second later Patrick’s black hair and annoyed white face showed up.

‘There is still some on the upper shelf. I got ye those two days ago,’ the young witch told her and she started searching again. ‘Howya Deandalon.’

‘Hey lad, I still owe you a game of dice, don’t I?’ he asked.

‘That and a barrel of fine beer my good sir,’ Patrick answered with a grin. ‘But I’m always willing to raise the stakes if ye want to win it back.’

‘Oh I am no fool Patrick, don’t take me for one,’ laughed Dean, the lad was really too good at gambling.

‘So who kicked your arse this time if ye don’t mind me asking,’ the witch leaned to the wall while he started chewing on a long straw he picked up from the table there.

‘Archangel,’ Dean said and hissed when Creide cleaned out the wound with a wet cloth. ‘And it didn’t kick my arse just shoved me down from the hill.’

‘I thought those wings of yours were for flying.’

‘Don’t taunt him Patrick,’ Creide warned from the other side of the room.

‘No insult intended,’ Patrick said automatically, but there was a hint of a smile on the corner of his lips and a mischievous glint in his brown eyes. No wonder Dean liked the kid.

‘I teach you how to shift then I toss you down the hill and we’ll see how you do,’ he told him. Creide put strong smelling herbs ground to mush directly on the wound then started bandaging his upper arm and shoulder. He was relieved that it was indeed not broken. Torn muscles and skin were a piece of cake; he would be fine in a day with Creide’s herbs to help him.

‘I never saw an angel before,’ Patrick mused.

‘And ye won’t see this one either,’ Creide said as she looked up at her son sternly, her voice didn’t leave place for an argument. ‘There’ she turned back to Dean then. ‘That should do the work just fine. No flying, no fighting, sleep safely tonight and ye will be good as new by tomorrow.’

‘Thank you Creide,’ Dean said as he started dressing up again.

‘Ye would be a much fearful sight without that piece of cloth with the amount of woad and copper ye have under your skin,’ Patrick remarked. Dean looked down onto the symbols decorating his arms and chest.

‘It wouldn’t be so dramatic when I took off my shirt then, now would it?’ Dean said with a smirk. The young witch made a “right you are” gesture with his hand. ‘I get you your payment in a few days Creide’ Dean turned to the old witch when he was dressed again.

‘No hurry, just be dog wide and stay alive and leave that damn archangel alone ye dim trickster.’

x~x~x

Damn Pillan and his scabby boil-bursting fire spirits, damn the nymph for being a harlot and damn that bloody archangel for injuring his arm so bad. He was halfway between Creide’s hut and his hideout when he heard the sizzling, crackling sound of fire and he was running the second he caught the burning eyes locked on him.

He really hoped that they won’t come down to the valley after him, but it was too much to hope for apparently.  He dashed as fast as his legs could take him, but he knew there was no place to hide for miles, nowhere to shift or disappear. And his shoulder hurt badly as he ran, he never before cursed himself for what he was so much, for his own weakness.

The fire spirits were fast and there was no chance to run forever as they wouldn’t get tired the way he did after a while. No other spirits were nearby to aid him, probably all fled after the archangel arrived. His day started so good, but if there were bards out there telling stories of his life, this song would be called “Deandalon’s Ill-fated Day”, but of course no one was singing songs about him, nor will anyone ever. He would be burnt to dust on the bottom of a valley with no one to remember his name, stupid thing that he cared about that at all, he never did before.

He glanced back to see how close the spirits were and he had to jump to the side to get out of the way of a blazing flame slashing out towards him. He groaned in pain as he landed on his injured arm, but rolled away from the next flame aiming at him. He tried to focus and make a copy of himself as a distraction, but his mind was fogged from pain and he couldn’t keep the illusion together. Oh he would definitely not survive this one.

‘So what are you waiting for you bird-brained batswings?!’ he shouted. ‘C’mon!’

He felt the heat on his face and knew he would smell his own burning skin soon. He really hated this day. His eyes squeezed shut and he tried to muffle his scream when he felt the first burning pain then it got really bright even with his eyes closed and he was ready for the pain that never came.

The feral shriek of the fire spirits filled his ears, they howled so loud that the sound surely filled the entire valley. Then everything fell silent and Dean was only aware of the smell of ash in his nose and the brightness behind his eyelids. He slowly opened his eyes and he was sure that his heart stopped the second he did.

The archangel stood in front of him, its back to the god and its three set of wings spread wide on its back and Dean only saw the edge of its golden face. He blinked in confusion, surely he was dreaming, but no matter how hardly he focused the angel didn’t disappear.

Dean sat up and winced as pain ran down his arm, but he ignored it for a moment to stare at the golden creature. Did it really just get rid of the spirits?

‘Why did you--’ his words stuck in his mouth when the angel turned a little and his golden eyes leveled on him. He looked at him for another second then he flapped his wings – heavy wind whirling around both of them immediately – and shoot up into the sky like a comet without a word. ‘Gabriel! Wait!’ Dean called after him, but he didn’t come back. Dean could already see the bright golden spot at the top of the hill a second later. Damn, that was some fast flying. The god stood up from the grass and stared at the hill for long moments. Surprised, confused… intrigued. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

He closed up his sight and he closed up his mind. The second he succeeded the silence was so endless and deafening that he wanted to scream in frustration. For the first time in his existence he didn’t hear the never-ending whispers of his brothers. But it also cut off Michael’s rapidly angering calls, maybe angry was not the right word, his brother sounded furious up until the point Gabriel managed to silence him to nothingness.

He knew that he soon had to find a better place to hide, or at least take a vessel but he was not ready to go anywhere just yet. He was still exhausted from the years of never ending arguing and fighting, years of angry words and bitter insults, years of watching Michael and Raphael harden with fury until he couldn’t even recognize the brothers he loved. And Father was gone. He didn’t answer to his older brother’s prayers or to Gabriel’s own pleas. He just suddenly wasn’t there anymore, the knowledge clawed out a gaping hole in Gabriel’s grace, his very essence, and it hurt even more than the one Lucifer left behind. And every passing minute he watched as his brothers turned into something else he didn’t know in their bitterness and anger and he felt like he was hollowing out, fading away in his own incapability to stop it. Breaking apart as their family broke.

He was even surprised that they noticed he was gone, but then again Michael did not call him out of worry, but in anger to his ‘disobedience’. Father was gone, so there was no one to disobey and he would not bow to his brother like Raphael did. He would not become like them… kinslayers.

Only the thought of leaving all his younger siblings behind in Heaven made his grace cringe in guilt. What would happen to them with Michael and Raphael being so cold and uncaring, seeing them as insignificant, collateral, cannon-fodder, paws and he knew his brothers would not rest until they were nothing but obedient marionettes. Not like Gabriel could’ve changed any of that even if he stayed. Michael would’ve forced him to get in line, maybe would’ve thrown him out of Heaven himself if he argued with him any longer. He just hoped the little ones would forgive his abandonment one day.

Earth was as beautiful as he remembered it to be. And probably his Father was here somewhere too. Gabriel had no illusions, he knew he won’t ever find Him if He didn’t want him to, but just the plain fact that he was again in the same world his Father was lifted something in him, made that painful hollowness inside of him bearable. Only the silence was crushing down on him now mercilessly.

‘Hey Gabriel,’ someone said and it only took a fragment of a second for him to take in the presence. And what was with this annoying thing? If he paid him no attention; he would probably get bored and scatter away soon enough.

‘Gabriel,’ said the voice again and he crouched down a few steps away from him. Even if he was encircled in his wings Gabriel was aware of every movement around him. ‘Gabriel. Hello! Gabriel… Gabriel… Gaaaabrieeel’ he drawled then. ‘I know you can hear me… Gaaaabriiiieeeeel… I won’t leave y’know. Gaaaaabrieeeeel… Ga..bri..el… Gabriel!… Gabri, Gibri, Gabe, Gabby, Gibby, Gii, Gabbidy-Gibbidy-Gu Gabriel!… Gaaaaa--’

‘What?!’ his wings snapped open and he glared at the man.

‘Hey there,’ he grinned back brightly.

‘What do you want?’ Gabriel asked in a low tone. It should’ve been enough to strike fear into him and there was a shift in his eyes for a second, but nothing else.

‘I came to thank you,’ he said and he put down something to the ground in front of him. It was a small jug filled with fermented fruit juice – wine was it called – and several different things wrapped in a soft kerchief, definitely meant to be food.

‘I have no need of such things,’ Gabriel told him. Green eyes were looking on him for a moment.

‘Listen, I’m not a traditionalist but I’m going to thank someone properly for saving my life, you got me? So there, token of my gratitude. Could you just accept it so that we can get over it?’

Gabriel looked at the offered objects then at the creature again. It was definitely a mistake to intervene if that was the reason he was bothered again. He should’ve just let it happen, but he acted before he thought about it when he caught sight of those two dark spirits. Those were evil things thirsting for blood, and despite his annoying nature this one was not. Gabriel narrowed his attention on the man, his face was determined, but guarded. It took the archangel a few seconds to decipher the embarrassment and discomfort under the certain expression. He was not someone used to have to show gratitude like this, or be indebted to someone probably.

‘Fine,’ Gabriel said. ‘Your gratitude is accepted, now leave,’ he was about to fold his wings back around himself when the man spoke up again.

‘Wait, don’t you want to try it at least? I mean it’s not much, but it’s good I promise.’ Gabriel moved his wings out of the way again.

‘Like I said, I have no need of such things,’ especially since he was not even in a vessel. He was rather incorporeal and immaterial compared to all the things on Earth right now.

‘All right,’ the man said. ‘So does this mean you’re not going to show up at my doorstep and say “I saved your life now do my bidding” or anything remotely similar?’ he asked.

‘I certainly won’t visit you in your home,’ Gabriel answered.

‘Figure of speech, scamp,’ the man rolled his eyes.

‘Well, I am growing tired of your nonsense now, so leave before I turn you to dust. And that is not “figure of speech”… scamp.’

Gabriel was sure he heard a chuckle before the man leaped off the cliff and took an animal form to fly away.

x~x~x

‘Hey Gabriel… Gaaaabri--’

‘Don’t you dare start that again,’ Gabriel told sternly as he spread out his wings. ‘What do you want?’ It was definitely a mistake to destroy the spirits before they got rid of this little annoying thing, especially after taking a look at his grinning face.

‘So… just wondering… you’re not here to kill us all, right?’ he asked in a light tone. It probably was fake nonchalance, but he acted it well, his face and body betrayed nothing. ‘Because I heard that’s your usual thing.’

It was no surprise that supernatural creatures remembered that from his last visit to Earth as they most certainly didn’t pay attention to his interaction with humans.

‘I am not here to destroy your home,’ Gabriel answered.

‘That’s what I like to hear,’ he grinned again. ‘See you later scamp.’

And he was off again quickly as he arrived.

x~x~x

 ‘Hey Gabriel!’

‘Stop bothering me,’ Gabriel told him as he snapped his wings open.

‘Good to see you too,’ the man smiled. ‘Nice weather today, aye?’ Gabriel just looked at him. He perceived no psychical sensation from his material surroundings in his true form so he couldn’t actually determine what it made it “nice” at the very moment, but he knew better than to question it.

‘Do I really need to kill you to have peace?’ he asked.

‘Have you ever heard what they say about barking dogs, scamp?’ he asked in return. He most definitely had to ignore him.

‘What?’ he asked against his best judgment.

‘That they don’t bite,’ he told him with a smirk.

‘Barking can be a signal of aggression I don’t see how…’ he looked up again and the expression on the man’s face told him enough. ‘Did you just compare me to a dog?’ he asked instead.

‘Me? I would never dare,’ he said with wide eyes and with an expression that was definitely meant to look innocent, it did look innocent even if Gabriel knew that it was fake.

‘You are making fun of me right now,’ he concluded.

‘Maybe a little,’ and the smirk returned in a blink.

‘I don’t tolerate such things’ he told him firmly.

‘Don’t look at me like that, I was just ruffling your feathers.’

‘No, you weren’t.’

‘Come on,’ chuckled the man. ‘We’ve been through this one’ he said then looked at him with a clearly expectant expression. Gabriel felt more annoyed than he did in centuries a second later when he realized what the last words meant.

‘Figure of speech,’ he grumbled.

‘Bang on, scamp!’ laughed the man.

‘Why do you insist irritating me all the time?’ he asked him then.

‘I don’t know,’ shrugged the man. ‘You’re really bright.’

‘What does my appearance has to do with anything?’ he asked in confusion. He was used to humans and even other creatures walking the Earth being fascinated by him, but this one did not look at him in fear and awe like some others did, so his words made no sense.

‘Bright things should not be so… still,’ the man said, and that was not what he meant to say first Gabriel was sure of that.

‘And little things should not be so loud,’ he told him in return. There were a few moments of silence then the man started laughing again.

‘Oh was I just insulted properly?’ he chuckled. ‘Scamp, you know what they say about old dogs?’ he asked.

‘I dare you to compare me to a dog again,’ warned Gabriel.

x~x~x

‘Hey Gabriel… c’mon I thought you were talking to me now… are you ignoring me again?’ Dean crouched down in front of the archangel. His wings were not encircled around him, but he was just looking out into the distance. ‘Gabriel’ he drawled out the name again a little, but only quietly this time as he was quite close to the golden angel. Completely motionless, could’ve looked like a golden statue. So very bright, but too still… too sad. It was such a pity for such a shiny being to be somber all the time, but endless sadness was written on the archangel since the day it touched ground. Dean wondered if all angels were so sad or was it just this one, and if it was only Gabriel than what caused it?

He was snapped out of his train of thoughts when golden eyes shifted and locked on him.

‘Hey Gabriel,’ he greeted again.

‘It’s you again,’ Gabriel stated.

‘It’s me again,’ Dean nodded. ‘You were lost in your thoughts there for a while’ he added. ‘Looked real creepy.’

‘It’s too quiet,’ Gabriel said.

‘I thought you liked the quiet,’ Dean said, because the angel complained enough about Dean being loud and annoying. Which was of course true, but he very much liked being loud and annoying.

‘No,’ the angel answered simply.

‘All right. You could come down to the valley, the spirits came back when I told them you won’t smite them to death,’ he smiled at the end of his sentence. ‘They’re pretty noisy mostly.’

Gabriel’s eyes shifted down towards the valley.

‘There are humans there,’ he said.

‘What?’ he asked, because he knew of none. ‘Oh, you mean Creide and Patrick? I tend to forget that they are, they’re witches you know… not demon worshippers,’ he added quickly, an angel would definitely not like that type, Dean didn’t like that type either. ‘They already know you’re here’ he said too, not being sure why Gabriel minded human presence.

‘My true form can be overwhelming to humans,’ Gabriel said. ‘I have something to take care of,’ the angel said after a beat of silence, his wings spread and he was gone so quickly that Dean didn’t even see when he took flight, it was just gone between one blink and the other.

x~x~x

Dean sat at the top of the hill again. It’s been a few days since Gabriel just whisked away and the god started to think that it meant the angel was gone for good. It was a pity; it was way too entertaining to poke and ruffle its feathers and since he was not smote the second day he started coming up the hill he was pretty sure that he was safe playing that game. The archangel started to catch up too, which made it all the more fun.

He never got around asking why the angel saved him from the fire spirits either, which was a shame because it was nagging him constantly now. He should’ve tried getting more information out of Gabriel instead of teasing, joking and amusing himself while doing so.

He sighed looking down onto the valley and figured he should just get back down, since he would see Gabriel’s golden light on the top of the hill even from down there.

He was just about to shift and take flight when the angel’s presence filled his senses and his ear caught the sound of wings. He turned around swiftly, but the greeting stuck in his mouth. He narrowed his eyes not being exactly sure of the sight.

A man stood not far behind him, walking closer as a matter of fact. Brown slacks and boots, gold-embroidered red shirt with a green wool cape wrapped around his neck and shoulders. Gold brown hair reached his shoulder, but Dean only became sure of who was standing before him when he looked at his eyes, amber brown in such a brilliant color that they almost looked gold in the sunlight.

‘Gabriel?’ he asked.

‘Indeed,’ the man answered as he stopped next to him.

‘What--’ the question trailed off as he made a vague motion gesturing at the angel’s entire appearance.

‘It’s a vessel, a human body that can contain my grace and true form.’

‘All right,’ Dean said, still processing and taking in the angel’s new form. He couldn’t even see the wings anymore, but now that he looked closely he could see the golden light pulsing under the human skin. ‘That settles it… you’re a man’ he concluded, glad that he finally had an answer to that mystery.

‘My vessel is,’ Gabriel corrected.

‘Trust me, it’s better if I don’t get into that in detail scamp,’ Dean said, then he frowned… down at the archangel and grinned.

‘What?’ he asked. Oh and it was so much more fun to see him get annoyed now that there was an actual face with actual expressions not just a vague form of one.

‘You’re short,’ he said and stepped closer to make his point clear. The angel was a lot bigger than him even when he shrunk in his true form, but now Dean had several inches on him, that was nothing but delightful. ‘See?’ he asked as he put his hand on the top of the archangel’s head. The ground was out from under his feet and the world titled so fast that he lost all orientation immediately. Until the point when his back and head painfully collided with the ground. Gabriel had one hand twisted in his shirt and that simple gesture stopped Dean when he wanted to move.

‘And much, much, much stronger than you are,’ the angel said. ‘See?’ he asked. ‘Brat,’ he added before he let Dean go and straightened up again, folding his hands together behind his back. Dean chuckled even if his head hurt a bit, then he got to his feet.

‘All right, noted. And the reason you’re all… dressed up in meat?’ he asked then.

‘Because I need to learn how to hide and assimilate on Earth, and so you will teach me exactly that.’

Dean did not need to think too hard to know that the tone in Gabriel’s voice meant that there was no room for an argument.

x~x~x


	4. Chapter 4

 

‘But why?’ Dean asked for probably the hundredth time.

‘Stop questioning me,’ Gabriel said simply.

‘No way, is this going to get me in trouble? Are you in trouble and you’re dragging me into it?’ Dean asked. ‘Why would someone as powerful as you need to learn how to hide their true nature away? That doesn’t make sense! Everyone tries to show off how big and strong they are and you want to look… weaker?’

Dean really had a bad feeling about this whole thing and it really seemed like being cryptic was an angelic or just plainly a Gabriel characteristic. The archangel radiated power even wrapped up in the human body. To mortals he probably looked human, but Dean knew that every supernatural creature no matter if they were gods, spirits, fairies or anything else would see the brilliant golden light under his skin and feel his power in his presence. Which was good, they would know immediately not to mess with him, it would give him such an authority and respect around here that would outshine even the strongest gods of the mountains, which would just maybe give Dean some long overdue recognition as a god too with knowing the guy… not that he actually cared what those arrogant fly-bitten bastards thought of him or anything like that.

‘I requested your assistance to shorten the amount of time it takes to acquire some skills you seem to have experience with, not to ask me questions,’ Gabriel said firmly.

‘Well I am not your bloody servant, so you either speak up or you can forget my help, scamp,’ Dean retorted.

‘Well you either do what I tell you or you can forget your life, brat,’ Gabriel told him with a hard look.

‘Again with the barking,’ Dean rolled his eyes. Gabriel took a step closer and Dean could feel his power washing over his body in a second. His mind screamed at him to run instinctively, but he stood his ground. He looked defiantly into Gabriel’s almost golden eyes.

‘Your childish behavior ends here,’ the archangel said in a low tone. ‘My patience is not endless. So you will stop asking questions and do what I tell you. You are in no way in a position to demand anything from me and I am not obliged to yield to your wishes. Did I make myself clear?’

Well damn. This was turning into a delightful experience.

‘Sure scamp,’ he answered, because what else in the stinking troll bog was he supposed to say to that.

‘And you will address me with some respect from now on,’ Gabriel added then he turned on his heels and they continued their walk down from the hill. Dean also didn’t know why they couldn’t just fly down.

‘Oh, but of course sir giant terrible archangel, whatever you wish,’ he grimaced.

‘I won’t warn you again,’ Gabriel said without turning back and Dean bit back his snarky reply with great effort. He was not stupid and knew when to shut his mouth. He had no idea what got the angel’s wings in a bunch all of a sudden, but he was much more fun to tease when he didn’t go all mighty-smitey on his arse.

Oh Creide was so right he should’ve left the damn big canary alone, he wouldn’t hear the end of this one that was for sure.

‘Fine, but you still have to give me something to work with,’ he said deciding on a new approach. ‘I have to know what you want to be hidden from, it’s easier to fool spirits than gods for example, and fairies see everything completely differently again… and I have no idea how angels see,’ he waited for a few moments to see if that got out any reaction from the archangel or not, but no such luck so he continued. ‘So I’m just saying… I need information to know what you want from me.’

‘No one on Earth should know what I am,’ Gabriel said.

‘Well I already know,’ Dean pointed it out.

‘Stop being deliberately difficult,’ the archangel said and he stopped again and turned around to glare at the demigod, who just barely managed to hold back a chuckle. Yes, the angel was terrifying if he wanted to be, but he was still five inches shorter that could never stop being hilarious.

‘Stop being so dictatorial and I might,’ Dean told him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

‘You… you’re insufferable!’

‘Been called worse,’ the demigod replied immediately. They kept staring at each other for long seconds, Gabriel in obvious anger, Dean in stubborn defiance.

‘I will answer your questions, but only the ones that are relevant,’ Gabriel said finally. Dean knew he wouldn’t get a better deal, but still even if he was kept mostly in the dark there were some really huge advantages in being on the good side of an archangel. Not being incinerated by said archangel being one of the main ones.

‘So you want to be hidden from everything? Not sure I know how to hide from angels,’ the god asked.

‘I can hide myself from angels I don’t need your help with that,’ Gabriel told him. Dean thought about it for a second looking at the archangel.

‘Fine, first of all can you turn the light down?’ he asked, but Gabriel just frowned at him. ‘This body of yours is glowing like a firefly, pretty sure most humans won’t pick up on it, but some would, not to mention everything else that’s not human.’

Gabriel looked down onto his body for a second then the light dimmed a little.

‘I can still see it, but then again I’m a god--’

‘You’re no god,’ Gabriel interrupted immediately.

‘I might not be one of the mightiest deities but a little mutual respect would really do some good for our freshly blooming friendship, scamp,’ Dean replied.

‘I was stating a fact and not disrespecting you,’ Gabriel told him with certain words.

‘I fail to see the difference,’ Dean countered with a frown of his own.

‘You are no “god” because none of you are,’ the archangel told him firmly. ‘Even the ones you call “old” or “mighty” are just insignificant dots on the great scale of things. There is only one true God and that is my Father who created this world.’

‘Way to be arrogant,’ Dean remarked.

‘Again I am merely stating a fact. I am only a creation of His myself and not even the most powerful one, but even I could tear this world – that is younger than I – apart easily. All the things you know and see in this world, time and space, life and death are all under my control and I am able to influence them to my liking. There are only few beings in creation who wield a greater power than I and none of the creatures you call “gods” is among them.’

‘Then what do you need me for?’ Dean asked. ‘I’m just a little insect to you then, one of the many that crawl around down in this place, what could someone like you possibly need from me?’

‘To achieve my goal I need to limit myself and that is not something I am familiar with. I need to be “one of the many” as you just said.’

Dean looked at the archangel again. This really was going to be troublesome.

‘Fine, lesson one. If anyone calls us little insignificant dots “gods” than you stay quiet, because like it or not we are the gods of this world and everyone calls us as such, mortals and immortals alike. If you start preaching about the greatness of your Father every time, you can forget being “one of the many”,.’ Gabriel kept his golden eyes on his face for a long moment.

‘Understood,’ he nodded firmly then. 

‘Good, so like I started before I can still see you glowing with power under your skin, but I am god,’ he waited a second, but Gabriel stayed quiet as promised. ‘So I can see even more than spirits.’

‘I don’t think it’s possible to hide my presence to an ever greater extent,’ Gabriel said.

‘Considering that in reality you’re bigger than this hill I say you are making a really good job with it.’

‘But my true nature is not hidden from… gods like this,’ he looked like it caused him physical discomfort to phrase his words this way.

‘No, not even sure you’re hidden from spirits, but one step at a time. Humans won’t see you now, average humans I mean, but there are some who are more perceptive than the rest so first we’re going to see how you look to them.’

x~x~x

It took Creide one look and a few heartbeats time to realize that the man with Dean was Gabriel.

‘This is going to be harder than I first thought it would be,’ Dean concluded immediately.

‘Why the bloody bugbear did ye bring this one here?’ she asked incredulously while she eyed the archangel with unrestrained suspicion.

‘Settle down, he ain’t gonna be trouble, I promise,’ he turned towards Gabriel. ‘You won’t be trouble, right?’

‘Oh ye dim trickster, he’s bags of trouble,’ Creide said. ‘Aren’t ye giving me enough headaches on your own?’ she did left the door open as she turned back inside despite her angry words.

‘She’s a handful, you get used to it,’ Dean remarked to the angel as he started to follow the witch inside.

‘Oh ye just shut your cake-hole, Deandalon,’ she pointed a finger at his face. ‘I will be effin' and blindin' in my own home as much as I please when ye keep bringing your mess here.’

It’s been a while since Dean managed to get her this irritated.

‘I’m telling you he won’t be trouble,’ Dean said. Creide just shook her head disapprovingly.

‘I’m warning ye, if ye dare to drag Patrick into this--’

‘Quiet down now woman, I always keep an eye on your boy, you know that,’ Dean told her firmly. She was mad enough without starting to act all mother hen on his arse.

‘Oh fine already. Sit down,’ she huffed out a breath. ‘What d’ye need?’ Dean sat down, but Gabriel just stood still at random spot like a stick in mud.

‘Nothing but your unique wisdom and incomparable insight,’ Dean said.

‘No sweet talking, out with it,’ she replied.

‘How did you know who I was?’ Gabriel asked.

‘You’re no human and not a spirit either. Deandalon doesn’t meddle with other gods, so it was not that hard to figure it out, and ye reek of power the pure kind, not the magic we use around here.’

‘Any way to hide that?’ Dean asked. Because if Creide could sense Gabriel’s power than all spirits and gods would as well. And he just knew of no way to cover up his presence completely, so he would need a spell or some other magical help and he was no expert in that. Creide’s eyes narrowed and she looked at Dean first then she shifted her eyes on Gabriel.

‘Now why would ye hide his power?’ she asked and Dean chuckled, because that was his first question too.

‘That is not relevant,’ Gabriel answered.

‘He won’t say,’ Dean added. ‘But he doesn’t want anything to notice what he is.’

‘Impossible,’ Creide said. ‘So much power can’t be just,’ she made a vague motion with her hand. ‘spirited away. No matter what, his presence will be noticed.’

‘Fine, so if it can’t be gone,’ Dean started. ‘How about making it… look different?’

‘How different?’ Creide asked. Gabriel kept observing their interaction quietly.

‘When he showed up in the sky I thought he was a sun god,’ Dean explained. ‘You said he reeks of pure power and I can feel some of that too, but what if his power felt like a god’s instead?’

‘That’s preposterous,’ Gabriel spoke up. ‘You suggest I pose as a… god of this world? That’s blasphemy. An outrageous disrespect towards my Father, a dreadful sin to commit, a--’

‘Hey, slow down scamp,’ Dean interrupted him. ‘You’re the one wanting to be hidden we are just giving you the options, if you don’t like it forget it, but you asked for a way and I am giving you a way, but if you think you’re too superior and holy for it, then you chose to wrong world to hide in.’

‘But--’

‘One of the many, you said. It’s either this or nothing, take it or leave it,’ Dean said with conviction. He just had enough of listening to what worthless little scum the angel thought they were compared to his Father. Gabriel fell silent at his words and his face darkened but not in anger but something resembling desperation and Dean almost regretted his harsh terms looking at the angel, but he held his ground with the ultimatum.

‘So be it,’ the angel said in a quiet tone after a very long pause. Dean looked at him for another moment then he turned back to Creide.

‘What do we need to do then?’ he asked.

‘Hold your horses, I never said I will help,’ she said and Dean frowned. ‘I am in your dept Deandalon, but I owe you nothing angel,’ she looked at Gabriel, her dark eyes leveling on him. ‘So if ye want something from me it won’t be for free. Why ye need to hide your wings I don’t know, but it is very important, isn’t it? So this favor will be pricey.’

‘You dare to set such terms?’ Gabriel asked.

‘I dare, and if ye don’t like it, good luck with finding another witch with my knowledge and power,’ she said as she tilted her chin up challengingly. Gabriel looked at her for a few moments with narrowed eyes.

‘Fine. Whatever you want in return you will have it,’ he said.

‘A swear… angel. Give your word,’ Creide told him.

‘I swear to my Father, you will get your reward,’ Gabriel answered.

‘Good,’ Creide smiled. ‘Now let’s make a god out of ye.’

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

‘You want me to do what??’ Puck exclaimed and Dean was sure that he never ever saw his eyes being so enormous before.

‘It’s not like it would be difficult for you’ Dean told him.

‘Someone hit you on the head bucko? I don’t care why or how you’re involved in this, but I ain’t going anywhere near that archangel’ the sprite said firmly.

‘He’s not here to destroy us I told you that’ Dean insisted. ‘Besides, _I_ need your help, _I’m_ the one asking you.’

‘No, he’s not here to destroy us, but for some reason he has to be hidden… from everything. Don’t you find that just a tiny bit suspicious?’

‘Listen to me Puck, for some cosmic coincidence he landed here in this backwoods valley and he is not our enemy, but who is?’ he asked while raising an eyebrow.

‘Leomas’ Puck grumbled quietly while crossing his arms.

‘Leomas’ Dean confirmed with a stern look. ‘So I don’t care if you don’t like this or if you’re scared of him, you will suck it up, put on a grin and help. This can be very good for me, and what’s good for me…’

‘Is good for all of us’ Puck finished with an almost growl. ‘Oh, you lewd little miscreant, you will get me killed one day.’

‘It won’t be today, Puck’ Dean laughed as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

x~x~x

‘Creide is not ready with preparing the spell so I don’t see how we could move on’ Gabriel said.

‘Hey who’s the expert here?’ Dean asked. ‘And besides it’s not enough to look like a god and feel like a god. You have to act like one, or at least like something that’s actually… alive’ he finished as he took in the angel’s straight posture and stern look. Oh this was not going to be easy.

‘I’m listening’ Gabriel prompted.

‘So in order to get things quickly into your angel-brain, that somehow not always manages to understand the importance of delicate details’ oh and then some. ‘My good pal Puck here’ he continued as he put his arms around the sprite’s shoulder, who just stood there staring at the archangel, but succeeded in looking not-scared out of his mind. ‘Will help us out.’

Gabriel frowned at him and Dean started to think that it was the only look besides rage and annoyance the angel was capable of expressing. That had to change.

‘Help us how?’ Gabriel asked as he shifted his golden gaze at the faun.

‘Puck, you took a good look?’ Dean asked.

‘Sure, let’s start this catastrophe’ he answered with an eyeroll, and then he stretched his neck and arms and promptly morphed into an exact copy of Gabriel’s vessel. The archangel seemed interested… a little. ‘So you and I are going to make a little trip now, big guy’ Puck said to the angel and Dean as always was impressed how perfectly the sprite could pretend confidence. His voice was of course the same as the angel’s, but he spoke in a much lighter tone in contrast to Gabriel whose every word was like he was announcing the impending doom of the world.

‘A trip?’ Gabriel asked, and Puck hummed in confirmation.

‘Can I trust you to do what I ask of you?’ he asked then as he walked closer to the angel. ‘I can promise I have better manners then chucklehead over there’ He nodded his head in Dean’s direction and the demigod huffed in exasperation.

‘I am capable of following instructions’ Gabriel said pointedly and Dean could hear the “unlike someone” perfectly clear. The angel was learning real fast in regard of backhand insults, but his style still sucked.

‘Brilliant’ Puck grinned; the expression suited the archangel’s face surprisingly well. Then he grabbed Gabriel’s shoulder and both of them suddenly slipped over the vividly blue passage appearing next to them. Dean was actually very curious how Gabriel would do over at the Fairy side of things, but that place made his skin crawl and he pissed off enough Fay folk to last him for several lifetimes, so he had to sit this one out.

Having the archangel out of his hair also meant that he had some time to make a quick run to town.

x~x~x

He was just out of the valley when he noticed that he was being followed, he was not in an animal form as he never shifted when going out among humans. He slowed down his pace to figure out who and what it was. He wanted to curse when he realized.

‘You better show your face Patrick, I know you are here’ he said out loud as he crossed his arms.

‘Well blast it’ Patrick said as he got into sight. ‘I really started to think that I got better at this.’

‘You’re mortal’ Dean explained.

‘Not for long’ Patrick smiled.

‘What is it lad?’ the demigod asked then.

‘Ah, ye know, I saw ye heading this way and I thought… aye it’s been a while since I was in town, sure the good Deandalon wouldn’t mind some company.’

‘I am in me wick! Your Mother would skin me alive’ Dean exclaimed. ‘I may be a god but I just know she would find a way to kill me nice and slowly.’

‘Oh come on Dean! I’m turning bloody mad in this valley; I am old enough to get out to that blasted town now without her’ the young witch fumed.

‘You’re nineteen’ Dean pointed out.

‘Exactly, that is adult for humans ye know’ Patrick said.

‘She just wants to keep you safe’ Dean told him.

‘I can take care of myself, ye know I can. And I would stay with ye the entire time’ the young man insisted. ‘Ma doesn’t have to know.’

‘I swear kid you are getting more annoying every year’ Dean grumbled as he continued his walk out of the valley, Patrick stepped in line with him with a smug smile on his face.

‘I just had the best to learn from’ he said with a laugh. ‘Ye should be proud.’

‘Yeah it’s bleedin' deadly’ Dean shook his head with a chuckle. ‘I should’ve known it’ll come back to bite me in the arse.’

x~x~x

They were not far away from town when Dean remembered why it was a cosmically bad idea to have Patrick with him when he was out of the valley. And the reminder turned out to be a very bad one.

‘Hey Dandelion!’ he heard from not that far away from them and he immediately cursed his bad luck. There were not many who dared to make fun of him by calling him like that and this was a really bad timing for someone that strong to show up, especially since he recognized the voice.

‘Stay behind me kid’ he told Patrick quietly. He knew it was not easy to scare the young witch and Dean knew he had enough power to hold his own against a foe, but he was mortal regardless. ‘Good day to you Kovas’ he turned towards the god with a bright smile. ‘What can I do you for?’ he didn’t let the worry show on his face, but the war god had his two servants Kaukas and Baubas with him. The two were both lower spirits, but still strong enough to keep up with Dean if it came down to it. Bloody weak-jawed hedgehog, because of course this would be the day when the god came down from the mountains for whatever reasons.

 ‘Don’t play dumb with me’ the war god growled as he stomped closer, and damn he was just as huge as Dean remembered him to be. ‘You have something that belongs to me’ he said menacingly.

‘Why would you think that Kovas?’ Dean asked curiously in return. He really wished he had a better reputation, the other deities would believe him to be innocent easily then.

‘Enough of your blather, you either give me back what’s rightfully mine of I will make you pay for it.’ And somehow Dean had the feeling that he wasn’t talking about paying in gold.

‘Are you calling me a thief now?’ he retorted. ‘I don’t have what you’re looking for’ he said with certainty. And he was even telling the absolute truth, he only borrowed Kovas’ helmet with every intention of giving it back a day later, it was in no way his fault that it broke to pieces. That was the troll’s fault.

‘I have warned you before you little half-breed bastard, this was the last straw’ the god spat with a thunderous face.

‘Patrick’ Dean said slowly while keeping his eye on the war god in front of him. ‘Run.’

He didn’t have to say it twice and the young witch was already gone from his side, Kaukas and Baubas turned and ran after him when Kovas nodded, but Dean couldn’t do anything for now but trust that Patrick would hold his own if the spirits caught up with him, luckily they were not the fastest ones. He held the dark gaze of the war god for long moments, before he had to dodge when the god lashed out to strike. Kovas had no special powers on his display, but he was a strong and skilled warrior Dean had to be very careful with. He also didn’t want to leave Patrick on his own for too long either.

He couldn’t do anything but get out of the god’s way before with sudden thought he took his rare black wolf form. It was his largest and strongest animal form, he was faster like this and better at dodge with his increased agility. Kovas growled in frustration when Dean easily jumped out of his way and he roared in pain when the demigod managed to sink his sharp teeth into the muscles of his upper arm. He shook the wolf off his arm and Dean almost hit his ribs to a nearby rock as he got tossed to the ground, but he was on his feet a second later. He knew that this could go on for hours and he could not leave Patrick to deal with the two spirits on his own. So he swiftly turned around and started running the way the witch ran off too. Kovas cursed and followed him, but Dean was much faster with running on four legs especially since the god’s enormous body was a disadvantage now.

He knew that none of the gods were allowed to cause ruckus in the towns around the mountains. Leomas punished every single deity that went against his will fiercely and someone like Kovas would never dare to go against him. Patrick was a smart one so he of course ran towards the town. Dean could still hear the war god running behind him, cursing his name and calling him a coward for running when he noticed Kaukas in the distance. The spirit was on the ground, doubled over and howling in pain in the dirt and not even moving an inch when Dean dashed past him. Dean would’ve grinned if he could’ve in wolf form, because the lad really could take care of himself. The spirit would not get rid of that curse easily.

It didn’t take much more to catch up with Patrick and Baubas and even the town was only a bit away. He easily overran the spirit that too cursed at him as he closed up at Patrick.

‘Nice of ye to join us’ Patrick remarked, but the young man was panting heavily and Dean knew now he would not be able to ran that much more and spirits didn’t get tired.

‘Just don’t pass out on me before we get into safety’ Dean told him. Patrick glanced back over his shoulder then he closed one of his hands into a tight fist in front of his chest. He seemed to focus – as much as he could while running, which must’ve been hard – for a few moments then he stopped and turned around swiftly with the hand raised and held out. Dean too stopped and turned back just in time to see as the ground before Baubas feet shifted a little making the bulk creature trip and fall heavily and in addition making the god Kovas right behind him crash into his servant and slam to the ground with a loud thud.

Patrick grinned at his clever trick but was running again a second later with Dean right next to him.

‘Now I’m real proud lad’ Dean told him, because damn no one could’ve done this in a more perfect way. ‘Grab that cloth’ he said next and Patrick’s eyes shifted to the clothes hung up to a string at the first house of the town. The witch tore down the gray material in their run as they finally reached the town border.

‘Are they gonna follow us?’ he asked and he was sweating and panting heavily, his voice only came out in short gasps.

‘Maybe’ Dean answered. They turned the first corner they could see.

‘Shift’ Patrick said.

‘To what?’

‘Something small’ Patrick answered as he draped the cloth around his shoulder and Dean shifted to his smallest animal form before they reached the next corner. Patrick grabbed him in his hand and he finally stopped when he pulled the cloth over his head after the next corner to hide himself with Dean clutched to his rapidly rising chest. He only looked down after a few second of heavy breathing.

‘Ferret, eh?’ he chuckled when he took a good look at the demigod.

‘Not a word kid, not a word’ Dean grumbled, he hated how his voice got lighter the smaller form he took so his warning only caused the young witch to chuckle some more while he tried to catch his breath.

‘Is coming to town with you always this… life threatening?’ he asked then as he started to walk down the street. Again he headed towards the crowds without Dean having to tell him that, clever boy.

‘More often than not’ Dean answered while he kept his senses sharp not wanting to be surprised if Kovas decided to wander into town after him despite Laomas’ rules.

‘I should come with ye more often’ the young man chuckled again. ‘I could use some excitement once in a while.’

‘If your Mother ever gets wind of how you got chased by a war god and his spirits because of me I’m good as dead’ Dean told him, and that was so very true even if he didn’t like to admit it.

‘Oh and she would lock me up for at least a decade’ Patrick added and that was even more true.

‘Our secret then boy, now head to the _Green Man_ ’ he instructed then. ‘We got things to pick up from that old geezer and I had just enough of you carrying me around like this.’

‘Good, and ye can invite me to a good ale since I more than deserve it.’

‘That you do Patrick, that you do’ agreed Dean with a laugh.

x~x~x


	6. Chapter 6

 

Dean and Patrick got back to the valley without a problem on a different route and the demigod sent the younger man straight back to Creide’s hut while he did a little detour so that they would arrive separately. He felt like a child again when he was sneaking around in the forest hiding from the spirits for fun while they tried their best to catch him. When he finally reached the clearing he saw both the older witch and her son standing outside and for a moment he thought that Creide saw through Patrick’s lie about spending the day with the wolf spirits at the bottom of the hill, but then he saw that she was in a cheerful mood. Her lips curled into a faint smile around the long thin smoking pipe she held in her hand and the scent of diviner’s sage and tobacco filled Dean’s nose.

‘There ye are’ Creide exclaimed. ‘Put that bag down already and come’ she was already walking away from her house Patrick following her uncertainly.

‘What is going on?’ Dean asked after he put the bag down, not like anyone would stole it from Creide’s hut.

‘We’re gonna watch how Puck tortures an archangel’ Creide laughed and a grin spread on Dean’s face too immediately.

‘Oh, they’re back?’ he asked and Creide just smiled back at him over her shoulder. Oh this was going to be so amusing. Dean was chuckling to himself as his steps became hurried.

‘I still don’t get it’ Patrick said.

‘Because ye were only a few moons old when Puck last played this game to teach Deandalon’ Creide answered. ‘But ye were giggling in delight’ she added as she patted the young man’s cheek.

It only took a little walk when Dean first heard the familiar whoosh sound that he hated with passion back in the day and it only took a short walk before they got close enough to actually see. Like on cue one of Puck’s blue portals opened in about twenty feet high and Gabriel fell through it and landed on the ground with a loud thud. Unusual laughter caught Dean’s ear and he turned to see a second Gabriel – most definitely Puck – sitting on one of the thick tree branches and looking down onto the angel.

‘This is the fourth time you fell for the same trick bucko. Are you always this dumb or are you just making extra effort for yours truly?’ he asked with a smirk. Gabriel got onto his feet and he looked so annoyed that it was almost murderous. Creide sat down onto a bigger three trunk comfortably and Dean leaned to a tree as well, because this was going to be amusing.

‘Ready big guy?’ Puck asked as he vanished from the branch and appeared not far away from Gabriel. ‘Eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ he crooned cheerfully as five Gabriels appeared all around the real archangel. ‘Catch the fairy by the toe.’

The real Gabriel vanished from within the circle and a second later one of the fake Gabriels broke apart to blue light and Gabriel re-appeared again landing on the ground after falling through a blue portal high up in the trees.

‘You’re so dim, I will win. Cause I’m the best while angels are just little pests’ Puck continued the rhyme as he laughed and the copies appeared again. Gabriel vanished from sight again and all copies did as well. This time it took only a second longer before again came the whoosh of the portal opening and Gabriel landed where he just stood up from a moment later. He cursed loudly in a language that Dean didn’t know.

Creide was now chuckling near him and Dean too had a permanent smile on his face.

‘I think I’m starting to see what ye meant’ Patrick remarked as they watched how several copies appeared all around again but not in a circle but on random visible spots. Gabriel growled as he shifted his eyes around and then he was again gone and this time Dean caught the sound of fluttering wings as he disappeared. And he promptly slammed into the ground just a moment later so hard that had Dean chuckling too at this point, while Creide outright laughed.

The demigod caught how Gabriel’s golden eyes landed on them for a fragment of a second, but then he was gone again, then back through the portal a few moments after. It went on for a while and every time the archangel reappeared and stood up he looked more frustrated. The sound of his wings got louder every time to the point where dry leaves stirred up from the ground from a sharp quick furious wind. Puck just kept taunting him with his little rhymes and insults, smirking and laughing in delight at every turn when Gabriel landed in the dirt. Dean was laughing with Creide now and Patrick was chuckling too. This was not an everyday sight that was for sure. Dean also shook his head when he compared Gabriel’s stormy expression to Puck’s duplication of the same face as the faun was grinning sharply with mischief in his eyes. Not once did he see the angel smile and again thought that it was a damn shame.

This time when Gabriel reappeared the portal didn’t open high up among the trees but on ground level and it caused the archangel to lose his balance when he slipped through it and he literally made a tree curl out of the ground and fall down to catch himself. All three of them laughed out loud after snapping out of the very quick shock the scene caused.

‘Silence!’ Gabriel growled and Dean felt his power whip around them instantly, the angel’s eyes were so light and golden that it almost looked like they were glowing from the inside, maybe they were.

‘Control your power, Gabriel’ appeared Puck at a top of a tree again, still wearing Gabriel’s face, well the face of his human form anyways. ‘You’re glowing like a pixie again’ he added. ‘No matter how powerful Creide’s magic is it won’t hide you if you lose your temper and set your power free. You have to keep yourself limited.’

‘I know that’ Gabriel spat, his face still darkened with anger.

‘Do you?’ Puck asked in return.

‘Do not lecture me!’ Gabriel snapped at him.

‘Oh you angels always think that you know everything’ Puck told him. ‘I certainly do not need to tell you how far pride can make you fall.’

Gabriel’s expression froze as he stared at the faun.

‘Besides, did you truly expect to beat a fairy at his own game?’ he asked then as he raised his eyebrows. ‘Maybe, just maybe you could take on Dean, but not me bucko.’

‘Hah, no way Puck’ Dean exclaimed. Because he was no fairy, but he was very good at this, he lived his life and got away from trouble countless times by relying on the skills he learned from this game. ‘He wouldn’t stand a chance’ he finished looking at the angel with a smile, but he just narrowed his eyes on him.

‘Oh really?’ Puck turned to him. ‘By all means, join us then if you’re so sure of yourself chucklehead’ he said. Dean snorted, yeah like he would subject himself to Puck’s torment out of his free will.

‘This is Gabriel’s game now’ he said.

‘What’s the matter… Dandelion?’ Puck cooed from the tree and Creide started to laugh quietly next to him while Dean scoffed at the faun. ‘Are you so out of form that you shy away from a little game?’ he asked. ‘Or are you just scared that Gabriel learned more in one day than you managed in your entire life? It is possible; you were always a little slow after all.’ He grinned at him challengingly and Dean cursed as he pushed himself away from the tree, he heard how the witches were chuckling behind him.

‘So what? You want me to get away from him?’ he asked spreading his arms. ‘Because no way he’s goon enough yet to catch me’ Gabriel was looking at him now.

‘Oh no’ Puck laughed as his copies appeared again, but this time half of them looked like Dean. ‘You and pixie-boy will race each other’ he smiled. Dean quickly thought about it and oh that greasy bugswallower! This would make the entire game a lot harder.

Normally this fairy game was played by two, one chasing the other. No magic was allowed just the ones set by the rules. The one running could use illusions and portals and the chaser had to be observant and fast enough to spot and catch the real target. Catching a fake usually meant that you got sucked into a portal and tossed around in the ether before it spit you back into the material plane. Puck was really good at playing it even if he didn’t do it for amusement, or not completely. It was the best way for Dean to learn how to be quick and how to fight out of instinct and also how to pick his battles wisely; it was the best way to learn skills he needed as he was always surrounded by beings that had much greater power. He could trick and hide and do it real fast and sometimes for someone like him that was the only way to survive.

It was the best way to teach Gabriel how to get used to be “limited”. Puck was right; Creide’s spell won’t hide him if he used his powers to a great extent. He had to learn how to handle himself even without most of his abilities or he would reveal what he really was.

Annoying the one chasing you to make him angry and less focused was always a good tactic in this game, but probably Puck would’ve done it even if it wasn’t useful or if Gabriel didn’t have to learn how to control his power. And if Puck’s playful – and annoying – mockery angered him enough to lose his grip on his power than a real enemy would get him to light up like the sun in a heartbeat and that would be the end of his hiding.

Now Dean looked around at the copies of Gabriel and himself and really wanted to curse for a long period of time. He only managed to win in all these years a handful of times and he had a feeling that this day won’t bring him the next victory.

x~x~x

Creide and Patrick left them to their game after a while. Dean was sure that he should’ve never called Puck “his friend”… ever, all he wanted was to grab the bastard and beat him up really badly only after a few hours. Gabriel rather looked like that he was on the verge of smiting the entire human world just so he could get rid of Puck along with it. He also looked like he wanted to kill Dean half the time, but that feeling was mutual as they did nothing but hinder each other to Puck’s great amusement. Dean also forgot that after a few hours of sliding in and out of the ether through Puck’s portals and being tossed around in them would make him sick. Not to the point of throwing up of course, but it was still distracting. And on top of everything Dean had to learn the hard way that slamming into Gabriel with full force hurt him a lot more than it did the angel. It was like flying headfirst into a cliff that was from a particularly hard type of stone.

He managed to get sucked into a portal once again and he landed on the ground with his back as his breath got knocked out of him, but he didn’t have time to move as Gabriel landed right on top of him right after. That… hurt. He was practically the only one getting hurt… bloody brilliant.

‘I think we had enough for today’ Puck said and hearing his real voice was actually a relief for Dean. He was tired and bruised and he was as weak as a salmon in a sandpit.

‘Fine. Get off me scamp’ Dean grumbled as the archangel rolled down from him, but didn’t stood up just lay back onto the grass which surprised the demigod.

‘You dumb and dumber enjoy your evening and we can have round two tomorrow’ the faun said, but Dean was too tired to move and try to strangle him. Gabriel didn’t move either even if he didn’t look tired at all, maybe he was just fed up. Puck disappeared in the next moment and there was finally silence.

‘I hate Puck’ Gabriel said after a long pause and that made Dean chuckle.

‘I hate him too’ he agreed and he turned to stand up and pain shoot into his side. ‘Ouch, damn I think you broke a rib there’ he said and groaned as he sat up then stood. His back hurt and his head ached, he felt ridiculously human. He had to go to Creide now so she could take a look at his ribs. He really didn’t need a bloody broken bone. He stopped moving when he felt a hand on his injured side and he blinked down at Gabriel curiously. The angel spread his fingers over his ribs, and then he frowned down onto his hand a second later. Dean waited a few moments, but the angel didn’t move nor did he say anything.

‘Gabriel?’ he prompted.

‘It’s not broken’ the archangel said then, but he was still frowning. ‘Just bruised.’

‘That’s good to know’ Dean said and was relieved.

‘I didn’t intend to injure you’ Gabriel said next.

‘Nah, it’s all right. We hate Puck for it, remember?’ he said with a grin and his eyes probably widened when he looked how Gabriel’s lips curled up into a smile too. It was strange, not in a bad way, just unusual. Most definitely the first smile appearing on the angel’s face and again it suited him much better than the always somber stern look.

‘I apologize regardless’ the angel said then as he drew his hand back from Dean’s side. The smile fainted, but Gabriel’s features remained somehow gentle, not the hard angry lines the god was used to see.

‘It’s fine. Not broken you said and I’m used to bruises, it’ll heal in a few hours’ he answered as he waved his hand. ‘But I need to eat and sleep some now’ he added. ‘We can’t let Puck win again tomorrow, so I need to get my strength back.’

‘It would be wise to work against him together probably’ Gabriel told him and Dean chuckled.

‘Probably’ Dean agreed. ‘But this is not about defeating Puck, but about you learning something you’ll need later so we probably shouldn’t forge alliance against that darn fairy’ he said. ‘So I see you in a few hours then.’ He only walked a few steps.

‘Dean’ he heard and he stopped and turned around. ‘Thank you’ Gabriel said as he finally looked at the god.

‘For what?’ he asked in return, genuinely curious.

‘For everything’ Gabriel said. ‘I have neither asked for your help properly nor did I show my gratitude. So thank you.’

Dean stood dumbfounded for long moments, because he was not expecting that. The great archangel actually thanking him, he expected maybe a praise when he did what was asked of him well when this all ended, not genuine gratitude. And he felt bad for his not so selfless assistance almost immediately.

‘No it’s… nothing. Not like it’s a bother or anything.’

‘Really?’ Gabriel asked and what do you know he was capable of showing skepticism too.

‘Yeah okay, I needed you around here like a kick in the bollocks, but… you’re turning out to be a lot less horrible than we first expected’ at that was probably the least kind compliment of all times.

‘This place is also a lot less horrible than I expected’ Gabriel answered and Dean chuckled.

‘Fair enough’ he agreed as he started walking again then he stopped and turned around again. ‘Did you just call me “Dean”?’ he asked, because that didn’t happen either.

‘Not because I wanted to disrespect you as many seem to call you that, but if you’re objecting I’m more than willing to use “Dandelion” instead’ Gabriel told him sternly and Dean started laughing, but dear stars how much he hated being called that.

‘If you do I will call you “Pixie-boy” forever’ Dean threatened.

‘I hate Puck’ Gabriel stated again and the demigod was laughing again at the edge of a real pout in the angel’s tone.

x~x~x


	7. Chapter 7

 

Gabriel looked at the page in the book Creide turned towards him on the table and he swiftly looked it over. The first thing he noticed was the complexity of the spell and it made him stop. It was surprising on its own to find such an old and powerful witch like Creide at place like this, but the spell in front of him surely exceeded even the woman’s considerable knowledge.

‘Where did you get this spell?’ he asked. Creide raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Ye don’t think I created it?’ she asked.

‘I know you didn’t’ the angel replied and the witch huffed out a laugh and rolled her eyes.

‘It’s from my late husband’ she told him. ‘Not like it matters, it’ll work that’s what ye want.’ Gabriel narrowed his eyes on the words and the symbols in front of him.

‘Where did he get it?’ he asked then.

‘Oh for the bloody stars why are ye questioning me?’ Creide asked as she put her hands on her waist.

‘Where Creide?’ Gabriel asked. The witch sighed.

‘From demons, all right?’ she said. ‘Other witches sold their souls or vowed eternal loyalty for knowledge like this, but not my man’ she said and there was proud tone in her voice as she said the words. ‘He captured those filthy bastards and forced their secrets out of ‘em’ she crossed her arms over her chest and her entire body screamed challenge. ‘There ye have it, this was the spell he used when he wanted to keep them locked and hidden, should hide your presence in that body just fine.’

‘Are you comparing me to a demon?’ Gabriel asked her with a dark look on his face.

‘Don’t take insult where none was intended’ Creide chided. ‘You’re inside a human body just like they are, that’s a fact.’

‘I have asked for permission and my vessel has given his consent’ Gabriel told her sternly.

‘That still means that you’re inside a human body’ Creide repeated with another eyeroll.

‘We can’t use this spell’ Gabriel said as he went through the lines and symbols again. Now that he knew their origins he could understand the last parts that were vague for him at first.

‘And why not?’ Creide asked.

‘It will force the soul out of the body’ Gabriel said.

‘So?’ the witch asked. ‘All the better.’

‘You’re telling me to kill the human that has offered up his body and mind for me in good faith, someone who’s loyal and devoted to my Father. How could that be good in any way?’ Creide walked closer and turned a page in the book.

‘Gwydion always used this first’ she said as she pointed at a symbol on a different page. ‘This sigil locked the demon into the body, and then he performed the spell to hide the supernatural presence of the demon within. I changed his original spell as ye cannot be cloaked completely, but I left in that part about the soul to make it easier.’

‘Getting rid of his soul like it’s an obstacle? This is not how a vessel should be treated’ Gabriel said with conviction.

‘And what did ye plan then?’ Creide asked. ‘Ride it for a few centuries and then leave it behind in a world he doesn’t know and he does not belong to? Ye are doing him a favour here’ she said. ‘My husband used to release the souls so that they do not suffer along with the demons.’

‘But an angelic vessel…’

‘Being possessed is being possessed Gabriel, ye like it or not’ Creide interrupted.

‘If I do this’ Gabriel started slowly. ‘It will corrupt the vessel.’

‘One of the main reasons I left it in’ Creide answered. ‘I told ye before, your power feels too pure to be seen as a god’s, this will solve that problem.’

Gabriel shook his head staring at the spell again as he turned the page back.

‘Dean doesn’t feel… corrupted like that’ Gabriel said quietly.

‘He is only a demigod and he is also very young’ the witch answered. ‘There’s probably even something like a human soul inside of him, that happens with demigods sometimes’ Creide shrugged.

‘Is this really necessary?’ Gabriel asked. ‘Isn’t there another way you could think of?’

‘I have no other way’ Creide said. ‘It is up to ye whether the price ye have to pay is too high or not.’

The archangel kept staring at the words and symbols in front of him. He felt torn which was an unusual feeling. He was God’s Judgment and he was always certain of the path he was walking on, but his Father was not here to tell him what was the right thing to do and he was lost. He turned another page and his eyes widened when he caught sight of Enochian sigils drawn onto the next pages.

‘Is this also from your husband?’ he asked the witch. ‘How could he possibly know about these?’

‘Every spell, symbol and sigil are from demons in that book’ Creide answered and Gabriel looked back at the pages in shock.

‘That can’t be!’ he said. ‘There is no way any demon would be in the possession of angelic sigils.’

‘Well, Gwydion was certainly not keeping angels in his cellar’ Creide told him and the answer was so obvious that Gabriel wanted to scold himself for not realizing immediately.

‘No… of course… Lucifer must’ve given them knowledge’ but the very thought that his brother would give away magic that is capable of harming angels was still so unimaginable despite everything. He saw how Michael and Lucifer fought their last battle but even with that burning in his mind he couldn’t believe that Lucifer would want to hurt any of them, his gentle and loving brother could not possibly be capable of that, Michael maybe, but not Lucifer. It didn’t matter what he felt thought and how he remembered him, because he knew better than that.

‘Makes sense’ Creide agreed. ‘The Morningstar is their creator after all.’ Gabriel shook his head again and tried to chase away all thoughts about Lucifer and his demon creations.

‘Will the spell work in my case at all?’ Gabriel asked. ‘My power is not remotely similar to that of a demon’s.’

‘It’s a blood spell so it will get stronger from your blood than it was with that of a demon’s’ the witch explained. Gabriel nodded, while he stared down onto Enochian warding magic on one of the next pages.

‘It’s good that ye look over those’ Creide said.

‘Why?’ he asked as he looked back up at the witch again.

‘Because my dear dear husband forgot to leave me footnotes for his book, but I have an archangel now to tell me what all those spells and symbols are for.’ Gabriel looked at her long and hard.

‘You’re asking me to help you so that you can use Enochian magic?’ he asked. ‘And you truly expect me to do that?’

‘I’m not asking’ Creide said. ‘I’m telling you to help me as that will be the payment we agreed upon for my help.’ Gabriel’s frown deepened.

‘Should’ve known that someone like you would ask for something truly valuable’ he said.

‘I’m only asking ye for knowledge that demons and all their blasted whores are already in the possession of’ the witch told him in an agitated tone. ‘Do not break your word Gabriel or I swear…’

‘I won’t break my word’ the angel interrupted calmly, he closed the book and shut his eyes for a few moments just breathing slowly. ‘I have to think about this’ he said then.

‘Think all ye want, I won’t go anywhere’ Creide answered with a shrug as she took her book back. ‘You’re the one in hurry to hide.’

x~x~x

As Gabriel stepped out Creide’s hut he saw Dean leaning against a tree at the other side of the clearing so he walked closer.

‘Hope you didn’t try to sneak up on me, because if you did I have to tell you that you suck at it scamp’ Dean said as he turned around when Gabriel was halfway across the clearing.

‘No’ Gabriel answered simply. ‘I am… conflicted right now’ he admitted a moment later.

‘Why’s that?’ Dean asked.

‘None of my reasons could possibly justify any of the things I need to do in order to stay on Earth undetected.’

‘Are you still hung up on the “god” deal?’ Dean asked with a raised eyebrow. ‘It will be an act, you don’t have to see them as equals to your Father, they may be called gods, but they are nothing but a bunch of bloody pig-eyed maggots who think way too highly of themselves.’ Gabriel looked at the demigod with surprise as he never heard him talking of his own kind in this manner.

‘I am talking about the spell’ Gabriel clarified without commenting on the demigod’s words. ‘I am rather certain that I shouldn’t go along with it. It’s not right to… do all this for selfish reasons.’

‘Sometimes it’s right to be selfish’ Dean said ‘And sometimes you simply have to be selfish.’ Gabriel looked at him for a moment.

‘Not sure I have the right to do so’ he said.

‘Maybe not’ Dean shrugged. ‘Maybe you have bad reasons, maybe what you’re doing is selfish, and maybe it is not good for anyone but you. I have no way of knowing to be honest. But there is nothing that cannot be turned to be better than it started out to be.’

Gabriel frowned at the demigod for a moment.

‘You’re telling me it can end well.’

‘No, I’m telling you that you can make it end well even if there is nothing good about it for now.’

‘Experience?’ the angel asked. Dean tilted his head from one side to the other contemplating the question.

‘That too, but not only. It’s probably a good rule for this world, sometimes things just turn bad and you have to go along with it whether you want it or not. I’ve done my fair share of selfish things and many times I did them for the wrong reasons probably. But I’m not beating myself up over it. It is what it is. I did what I had to do and tried to make them better or less bad when I had a chance to do so.’

‘Strange how I’m listening to an advice of someone as young as you’ Gabriel remarked.

‘Listen, don’t listen. It’s up to you.’

‘That’s exactly it’ Gabriel said as he looked at Dean again. ‘For the very first time in my existence _I_ have to decide. I have the choice; I am in my own hands without my Father or brothers… never thought it would be so terrifying, I saw free will as a gift and not as a burden.’

‘If that’s the case… then it’s time to grow up Gabriel’ Dean said.

‘I guess it is’ the archangel nodded his eyes drifting away to the distance.

‘But hey at least you landed on the right place’ Dean grinned. ‘We were just crazy enough to get involved with all this crap.’ Gabriel felt as his lips curled up into a faint smile, it was still an unusual feeling after all these years, but he didn’t mind one bit that he had a reason to smile at all.

‘And I was probably just crazy enough to follow your lead’ he told the god. ‘Tell Puck that I want a new game tomorrow after Creide is done with her spell’ he said after a few moments of silence.

‘You got it’ Dean smiled. ‘Want me to join in too?’ he asked.

‘Not a question’ Gabriel answered before he walked back into the witch’s house.

x~x~x


	8. Chapter 8

 

Puck won again, naturally. Dean was not surprised and even Gabriel seemed to have accepted that there was no beating a fairy in its on game anytime soon, not even for him. The sprite still disappeared right after Dean exclaimed that he had enough. The angel was starting to get scarily good at it as well and the sudden change in his presence managed to throw off even Puck for a short while. The second Dean saw Gabriel he knew Creide's spell was successful, because no matter how hard he looked or focused he couldn't sense the bright electric power he came to associate with the archangel. He still felt powerful, more than a little, but it was still a large shift. And as he managed to keep his calm despite Puck's jokes and insults the demigod didn't know how it would feel when his true power bled through.

Dean managed to get strength back into his body after spending a few short moments lying on the cool grass of the forest ground then he got to his feet while Gabriel watched him with a particular expression on his face. If he didn't know better he would've said it was amusement.

'You know it never stops to amaze me what all Creide can do with just a few words and some drawings' he remarked as he took a good look at Gabriel again.

'Words can be very powerful' Gabriel answered.

'I suppose' Dean shrugged as he stretched his arms and started walking, Gabriel followed. 'I don't understand magic that well, what I can do all comes from the gut' he grinned.

'I'm sure you could acquire a considerable amount of knowledge from Creide if you wanted to' Gabriel told him. Dean shook his head even before answering.

'Nah, that would demand more focus and patience than I have' Dean answered. 'And I'm also not the type to sit over books for who knows how long' he chuckled.

'What do you know about Gwydion?' Gabriel asked suddenly after they walked a little in silence and the question made Dean stop dead in his tracks.

'How do you know about him?' he asked with a deep frown.

'I knew that spell was not Creide's creation and after I asked she told me that it was from him' Gabriel explained. Dean blinked at the angel for a few seconds in shock.

'Creide talked about Gwydion?' he managed to ask then, just to make sure.

'From your reaction I assume that's unexpected' the angel said.

'She never talks about him' Dean said. 'In the past two decades she mentioned him maybe a half dozen times.'

'Did you know him?' Gabriel asked.

'Never met him' Dean said and he started walking again Gabriel only a step behind. 'I just know that he was very strong, he hated demons and any witch who served them and that he died for Creide and Patrick.'

Gabriel stayed silent and Dean continued after he glanced at him.

'Almost twenty years ago on really dry summer day I headed towards the nearest town and I was just out of the valley when I saw someone walking towards me. I stopped because I was curious who else was dumb enough to be on the road besides me. It was Creide, but I swear she was just skin and bone, dirty and beaten up. It took only a look and I knew that she must've been traveling for weeks with not much to eat or drink, if anything at all. When I got close enough was when I saw how she held her child tightly in her arms. Patrick was only a few weeks old. Creide couldn't die because her magic protected her from most faces of death, but the kid... I don't know all details but it was probably demons taking revenge on Gwydion and he stayed behind and fought while he sent Creide away to save their newborn son.'

'But you did not know that' Gabriel said. 'So you helped an unknown witch showing up out of nowhere.'

'I didn't know who she was or what she was. All I saw was a crying mother protecting her dying child, so yes of course I helped' Dean said.

'Dying?' Gabriel asked.

'Yes, magic might've made it impossible for Creide to starve to death but there is no spell that keeps an infant fed when his mother has no milk from thirst' Dean explained. 'It didn't seem like he was gonna make it, some of the spirits brought some milk to feed him but he was too weak to drink at first.' Dean paused. 'Didn't look like it, but he made it, strong kid. After that they just never left again' the demigod finished the story.

'I see why Creide said that she was in your dept' Gabriel replied.

'Nah, she helps me out every time I land on the wrong side of another god. Saved my skin more times than I can count, she more than repaid me.'

'What about Puck?' Gabriel asked and the question shook Dean out of the old memories.

'What about him?' he asked in return.

'How did he end up here?' the angel asked.

'Oh he was here long before I' Dean answered. 'I don't even know how old is he or why he's mostly here and not on the other side. Puck is Puck and not even the oldest spirits of this place know much about him. I learnt most of my tricks from him and many other things too. He may seem like some dim-witted little sprite and I admit he is not famous for his bravery, but I think he knows a lot more than he lets on. He's probably also a whole lot stronger than one would expect, but again I have no clue how strong that could be. Fairies are really good at keeping their secrets, when they don't want you to know something then you won't know it. And Puck obviously doesn't want anyone to know much about him.'

'That is anything but surprising from an old sprite' Gabriel said.

'And speaking of secrets' Dean looked at the angel. 'It might be time for you to start using all those fine skills I was trying to get into your noggin so far and get into the magnificent and exciting world of lies too.' Gabriel frowned. 'It's not enough to look like a god and feel like a god...'

'One has to act like one' Gabriel finished. 'What exactly do you have in mind?'

'We start with small steps' Dean said. 'Step one: act human' he said with a grin.

x~x~x

'I have no need of--'

'You got to follow my lead scamp' Dean cut him off as he pushed one of the large jugs of beer the barmaid brought out towards the angel. He chose a more quiet and isolated table than he normally would've here, but he knew that this was not going to be an easy exercise. 'Besides you don't drink this because you need it but because it's good, or in your case you're drinking because it would look mighty weird if you just stared at it the whole night.'

'Fine' Gabriel agreed. He got really good at expressing annoyance at this point.

'So like I said only the owner knows who I really am, for everyone else I am human and right now so are you. If I do something you do the same, it's not that hard, you watch, copy and learn.'

'I don't see the importance of this' Gabriel said.

'Have you ever talked to a human before?' Dean asked.

'Of course' the angel replied immediately.

'All right. Have you ever talked to a human who was not a Prophet, a chosen Heavenly warrior or anything remotely similar?'

'No.'

'Figured as much' Dean chuckled. 'You want to be or look like one of the many. So we're going to eat and drink and be like everyone else inside here.'

Gabriel nodded after he looked long and searchingly at Dean then he shifted his attention to their surroundings. The Green Man was busy and crowded just like every night and he was rather sure that it was the perfect place to start. Even if Gabriel didn't manage to grasp what was the most appropriate way to act around here the mostly drunk patrons would just think him strange and nothing else. The old Dagda was the only one with a good eye for non-humans, but if Dean told him Gabriel was a god the innkeeper would be more than delighted by his new powerful guest.

'We need a name for you' Dean exclaimed suddenly and Gabriel turned his attention back on him and looked at the demigod questioningly. 'You can't be called “Gabriel” when you want to be seen as someone else' Dean explained and the angel's eyes lighted up with understanding the next second and his face darkened right after. 'You didn't think about that, huh?' Dean asked and the angel shook his head. 'With everything else going on... this is just a name.'

'It's what I am' Gabriel answered.

'What you're leaving behind' Dean corrected him. 'It's not like you will be doing what you did before anymore. And anyhow you're wrong, your name doesn't define you.'

'Fine I will think of something' the angel said with a resigned tone as he leaned his elbows on the table.

'I know it's hard for you but--'

'You don't know a damn thing!' Gabriel snapped at him. 'You cannot possibly comprehend what all of this is doing to me.'

'No one is forcing you' Dean reminded him. 'So if you had enough just stop.'

'I can't' Gabriel answered.

'Why? Tell me, why do you have to hide?' Dean just knew that this was the worst place to discuss all this, but the people around them were all loud and no one paid them attention in their dark corner. 'Why are you doing this to yourself if it's so hard for you?'

'Because I can't go back' the angel answered quietly. 'And if they find me they will make me and I... can't stand them any longer, I can't be around them... I just can't.'

Dean looked at him for a second while he tried to figure out what the angel meant.

'Your brothers?' he asked finally and Gabriel nodded again.

'I couldn't bear it anymore... how my family fell apart and how my brothers turned into strangers and my Father is... just gone, he left us behind. So I left and my older brothers... are not pleased about it. That's why I have to hide, because they would drag me back... I didn't want to become like them but all the things I have to do in order to get away? I feel like I'm turning into something even worse.'

A dark and heavy silence fell between them and Dean was sure that they needed something stronger than beer.

'I would gladly throw my name away on some days' Dean said after a long silence and Gabriel looked at him again. 'How I told you that the valley has the same name as I? It's the other way around. It's not the place that was named after the god who resides there, but I was named  “Valley of Shades” because the spirits found me down there one day and there was just no one else to name me but them, and spirits are always named after what they are from... so they simply did the same with me. I'm in the valley so I am the valley.' he chuckled dryly, they really needed to drink something stronger.

'But hey' he continued. 'I may have been tossed away as a useless rag, but the spirits are free down there and Patrick's alive so... like I said before, sometimes things are simply bad but you are what you do and not the name that has been given to you nor what your family thinks about you' he took a large swing from his beer and stood up. 'I get us something else to drink' he said quickly and walked away to get some real alcohol before Gabriel could speak again.

It was of course too optimistic of him to believe that Gabriel would not continue where they left off.

'Why would you possibly be tossed away?' he asked the second Dean sat down with a bottle of strong drink and the demigod drowned his whiskey right away and slid the other cup to the angel.

'Drink' he told him, Gabriel frowned down at the cup. 'Drink' he repeated and he was sure that his face told clearly that he was not going to argue about this. The angel reached out and emptied the cup in one go easily.

'I'm not a real god' Dean told him.

'I think I told you that several times myself' Gabriel answered and that made Dean chuckle despite himself.

'Well what I mean is that I'm a demigod... my father was human.' He refilled both his and Gabriel's cup and drank, he motioned the angel to do the same and this time he didn't need to prompt him much. 'So I am nowhere near as powerful as a real god, I get wounded easily I have limited powers and I don't even know whether I would only live as long as a human or not. So there, compared to all the other deities living up in the mountains... I'm really pathetically weak. I don't actually know if that was the reason I was dropped down to the valley or not, but if I'm ever allowed to show my face among them that will be definitely the first thing I will ask from my dear mother.' He filled and emptied his cup again and refilled Gabriel's cup too.

'She is up there?' Gabriel asked.

'Sure, she is the Goddess Morrígan after all' Dean said as he drank another cup. 'The great goddess of war and magic, the phantom queen of battlefields, patron of warriors and witches' he heard all the praises directed at her many times in his life now. 'But I only managed to inherit her shape-shifting power' he added.

'You also seem to be fond of witches yourself' Gabriel said and that dragged a real laugh out of Dean.

'Apparently' he agreed.

'And I am a warrior too among other things' the angel told him. 'Choose me a name' he said then.

'What?' Dean asked.

'I need a new name and I want you to choose me one' the angel repeated. 'If I will be renamed by a god of this world I would prefer you to be the one.'

Dean started at the archangel with wide eyes for a few moments, then smiled.

'In that case it's time to eat, I cannot think with an empty stomach' he said lightly, the sudden warmth in his chest chasing away the sorrow that started to cloud his heart.

x~x~x


	9. Chapter 9

 

Dean woke up grudgingly. He was too tired and too comfortable to actually move an inch, but awareness already reached his mind so he couldn't go back to sleep. That didn't mean that he couldn't stay lying in the warmth for the unforeseeable future. Not like he had anything urgent to do. He knew that he was in his own home, so he was safe.

One of the perks of being a demigod was that he could actually get drunk but his body regenerated quickly enough not to have a hangover. Their trip to town began as an exercise for Gabriel to learn how to act and behave among humans, but in the end it was just a night of drinking. Dean blamed the angel for the amount of alcohol he consumed because he just couldn't get the bloody bastard to get drunk, and it was not that he didn't drink, on the contrary the archangel followed Dean's lead perfectly and drank every time the demigod put something in front of him, he just didn't get drunk. Gabriel told him that he seemingly had a very high tolerance of alcohol. Not like that discouraged Dean one bit, he stuck to beer while he made the angel drink whiskey. He was sure that he managed to get him at least a little tipsy by the end of the night, but as he himself was almost too drunk to walk in the end some details faded.

Food was another interesting matter. Again the angel didn't want to eat first as he had “no need of sustenance”, but Dean just gave him his now usual “one of the many” speech that was always the magic key when he wanted the angel to go along with something. Dean loved the food they served at the Green Man and enjoyed his meal but Gabriel was less than enthusiastic and none of the food seemed to be to his liking. Dean again didn't want to give up immediately so he got him to try several things even if the angel was not impressed by anything really. It seemed like food was not something Dean could convince him to be a good and enjoyable thing, but then a very surprised noise escaped Gabriel's lips and he looked positively pleased when Dean looked up at him. The culprit was a toffee-apple and the god laughed in delight because of course he should've started with the sweet things, children liked that most as well and considering that the archangel never ate before he knew food as much as kids did. He couldn't really get too much dessert for him at the Green Man, but Gabriel seemed completely content with the bowl of hazels and nuts covered in honey the barmaid made for him. Dean decided to get him later some caramel and blancmange Patrick really liked as a kid, maybe some pastries too.

Dean wasn't surprised that he got as drunk as he did; it always happened if he talked about his family, if he could call them that at all. He never met his father, didn't know who he was and he only knew stories of his powerful mother, but just telling Gabriel about her made Dean miserable. He was almost sure that he even reached the level where he started to talk about how he was not like Hephaestus; it was always the signal that he was way too drunk when he insisted on that. Because ok they both were tossed down by their powerful mothers but there were no more similarities between them. He vaguely recalled Gabriel telling him at one point that: 'No Dean, of course you're not an ugly, limping blacksmith.'

All in all he didn't feel as bad as he normally did after a night of drinking away the memories of his origin. He figured that introducing Gabriel to the pleasures of good food and alcohol distracted him successfully, he definitely had to introduce him to all the other enjoyable things one could do on Earth, and since all gods were famous of luxuriating in all pleasures the world could offer he had a perfectly legitimate reason if Gabriel asked him why it was important for him to get to know these things. He was actually looking forward to it now, because there were things that were sweeter than honey and the angel definitely had to see that being down here in this world could be good too.

Dean stretched and only now that his mind was getting rid of the last traces of sleep did he notice that he fell asleep in his clothes, that didn't happen often. He really got embarrassingly drunk then. He also noticed that his head laid on something harder than his own pillow so he finally opened his eyes and moved to sit up.

'Oh you're awake' and Gabriel's voice sounded to be way too close. Dean sat up quickly and blinked a few times. The archangel was sitting on the bed with his back to the wall and as the demigod took in both of their position he was sure that a second ago he had his head in the angel's lap. He tried to recall the last hours of the previous night but he failed.

'Why was I sleeping on you?' he asked instead, because that was undoubtedly the most pressing question.

'You were not in the condition to get back to the valley on your own so I brought you back, but when I wanted to leave, you were annoyingly insistent that I stay and I didn't see the point in arguing with you' he said simply.

'Did I try to prove that I'm a very good host?' he asked.

'Repeatedly' Gabriel answered and after that Dean knew himself enough to imagine how their conversation went.

'But scamp you really could've just shoved me off when I passed out on you' Dean told him, but the angel shrugged.

'Not like I had anywhere to go and I didn't want to wake you' he supplied.

'You couldn't possibly sleep sitting here like this' Dean said.

'I don't sleep.'

'Oh... good to know' Dean said, but he was still surprised a little, surely anyone else would've minded being used as a pillow by a blind drunk demigod. Gabriel seemed completely unfazed, but then again he had probably no idea what counted as usual or unusual behavior. Easy to test. He shifted on the bed and leaned closer to the angel and he only stopped when their faces were only inches away. Gabriel didn't move just stared at him questioningly, obviously not bothered by the proximity at all.

'Well I definitely keep this one in mind' he said out loud and that caused Gabriel to frown at him. 'Not important' he told him, he was about to move away when a sweet scent caught his nose and he recognized it after a moment with a slight surprise. 'You smell like honey' he observed.

'Is that some sort of “figure of speech” again?' Gabriel asked and Dean huffed out a laugh.

'No, you literally smell like honey' he told him. 'Did you bring some back?' Realization appeared on Gabriel's face.

'I did' he admitted. 'But there's no more left.' And his tone really made Dean laugh out loud as he finally drew back from the angel and stood up from the bed. It was like the sweets offended him by running out.

'Oh I swear I can't wait to find the next thing you'll like' he said. 'But as amusing as that would be we still have many things to do.'

'What is next?' Gabriel asked as he stood up from the bed.

'Next is deciding what kind of god you want to be' Dean said. 'That defines a lot. The powers you can openly use, the way humans and gods will look at you... and your name. That has to fit too.'

'I don't want humans to see me as a god' Gabriel said.

'But that's--'

'I mean that I don't want to be worshipped as a god. I don't want them to pray to me, I don't want offerings, sacrifices, statues, temples... none of it. And that is final' he added like he expected an argument over his decision.

'All right' Dean nodded. 'It would be too conspicuous anyway and being worshipped is not necessary for your disguise.' Gabriel's shoulders visibly relaxed at Dean's words. He probably thought that he would be told that it was again something that needed to be done. 'That also narrows down the possibilities because humans pray to most gods for their help.'

'You are not worshipped' Gabriel said.

'Well yes, but I'm just a trickster.'

'That sounds like a good option to me' the angel told him. Dean just stared at him in surprise for long moments.

'But why would you be one?' Dean asked incredulously. 'Even with limiting your power you are as strong as the great gods, you can be so much more than some despised little trickster.'

'I have been giving it some thought since you and Creide told me that this was the best way to hide and I decided that I can't change my true nature completely so I have to be something that I already am at some level.'

'That's good' Dean agreed. 'Then you can be a wargod, you said you are a warrior.'

'Humans pray to wargods for their aid in battle, warriors make offerings for their help' Gabriel replied. 'And I won't be a sungod either if that is your next suggestion.'

'No sungods are always worshipped' Dean said. 'But what is it that makes you a trickster? Cause that's what you said, something you already are?' Dean asked.

'I am the Angel of Judgment' Gabriel said, his tone sure and proud as he uttered the words, maybe he even straightened up a little saying it.

'Good. Be a god of justice then' Dean told him.

'Then people would pray to me to punish those who have hurt them' Gabriel said. 'No one worships you, and all tricksters are different, I would be free to do what I chose and I would not be bound to a certain task all other gods would expect of me.'

Gabriel's words made sense, but it was still rather unimaginable for Dean to see the angel as a god of havoc, chaos or mischief.

'You're right but... do you actually think that you're good for that role?' Dean asked. 'Because no offense, but you are so not a trickster-type.'

'I think I did a good enough job turning the Giants against each other when my Father ordered me to raise chaos among them' the angel told him sternly with a hard look.

'Judgment' Dean repeated. 'You want to be that kind of a trickster? Punishing the wicked?' he asked and Gabriel nodded. Dean looked at him for long moments considering his words with a thoughtful expression on his face.

'Huh' he crossed his arms over his chest. 'That I can actually see in you' he concluded and was a bit surprised about saying that but he really could. And he most definitely would not be worshipped by humans that way, it would also put him in-between the gods and spirits. He would not be expected to bow to any of the great gods either, some would maybe look down on him but he would be strong enough to make them think twice before doing anything hasty or openly challenging him.

'I'm surprised to say this but this is the best option' he admitted. 'You would be one of the gods, but remain an outsider nonetheless. You could always do as you please and you would not be expected to follow any other god's lead. You could stay among humans or even spirits and it would not seem unusual. Even Puck or I could show ourselves in your presence and not for a second would anyone see it as odd. It's perfect' he finished. Gabriel almost seemed smug for a second.

'Then we are in agreement about this?' Gabriel asked.

'Oh yes we are' grinned Dean. 'I get cleaned up and then we can start figuring out what powers you can use as one of us.'

x~x~x

It took approximately five minutes for them to realize that there was nothing Dean could do to help Gabriel in mapping out what powers he could use as he knew nothing of what angels were capable of. And also because there was no rule about what abilities tricksters had as they really were all somewhat different. Gabriel already learnt during Puck's games that he could use a considerable amount of his powers without revealing his true identity. The question was only how to use it.

He never had to do anything but fight openly or manipulate the elements on Earth when a punishment was in order, and he never changed anything on his own vessel when he had to take one beyond making it invisible when he couldn't be seen by humans on his Father's orders. He told as much to the demigod.

'Invisibility' Dean smiled. 'That's good. That can go on the list. If you can make yourself disappear can you also look like someone else? Like Puck can?' Dean asked. Gabriel thought about it, it was not something he has ever done as there was never need for it. He looked at Dean for a long second taking in all the details of his physical appearance. Body height, weight, shape, colors of skin, hair, eyes, lips, the wavelength of his voice, his own vessel he already knew down to the smallest cell. So he changed what was different with a thought.

'Whoa' Dean exclaimed. 'That was fast, no need for practicing for you, eh?' he laughed.

'I told you that I can bend time and space at will' Gabriel told him, he just never had to use his grace this way.

'You can shift then perfectly, most tricksters can' Dean said. 'Does that mean that you can change others too?'

'Humans?' Gabriel asked. 'Certainly not as only my vessel has given me permission to use his body.'

'Fine... uh... you know what this won't take us anywhere' Dean said. 'I don't know what you can do and you don't know what most tricksters usually do. We need to do this differently.'

'And what do you suggest?' Gabriel asked. Dean thought about it for a second.

'I suggest a little trip' he said finally. 'We just hit the road and do what we please, and you can learn everything you need on the way, get a taste of what it's like to be a trickster.'

Gabriel's vessel changed back to its original shape.

'Since we can't do this in theory, a chain of specific situations would be perfect to give me the sufficient starting points.'

'We can just stick our heads together when something needs to be done. I can get a main idea and you know your power and can decide if you can do it or not. Or if you want to do something I can tell you if it fits a trickster's way or not.'

'Are you certain that you want to leave the valley for a longer amount of time?' Gabriel asked.

'I'm only talking about a few weeks' Dean said. 'I'm sure the valley will be here when we get back.'

'All right' Gabriel nodded. 'This seems to be the best course of action.'

'Brilliant' Dean grinned. 'I need to settle some things then, but we can get going even tomorrow.'

'I'll finish translating the last Enochian spells for Creide then' Gabriel said. 'You can find me at her house when you are done' he said and he was gone in the next blink. Dean headed back towards his hideout as well. This was going to be interesting to say the least and he certainly had to prepare for everything.

x~x~x


	10. Chapter 10

 

Gabriel was ruthless. There was no other word for it. Dean was more than surprised since he almost forgot how cold and distant the angel was towards him at first. He was also rather tolerant and curious of humans whenever they were among them, but there was a shift when he locked his eyes on someone who struck him as a “sinner”. Dean never actively went out of his way to find someone who needed to be punished, he intervened of course when he stumbled upon some bloody bastard, but Gabriel was absolutely focused the second he had a task at hand. It seemed like having a goal he was familiar with put him at ease, he looked comfortable in his skin again.

Of course he was doing it all wrong. He was able to do practically anything he wanted even with his powers limited, but he never actually thought for a second that he could do something else than just simply smiting someone. Dean admitted that when he made one of the bandits they stumbled upon explode with a snap of his fingers was actually pretty funny, but only because of the mortified faces of the other brigands. Gabriel was righteous and straightforward… everything that a trickster was not. Dean was lost for days thinking about what he could do to get him on the right track. He opted for telling Gabriel what to do instead of letting him decide temporarily because the angel had not an ounce of creativity in him and he didn’t understand why he had to make things complicated when they could be settled in a very simple way.

‘It’s not a mission’ Dean told him one evening after they arrived to their second town. Dean planned to circle the mountains in the next few weeks. For humans it would’ve taken a lot longer to do that but him and Gabriel didn’t have to take the human road, deep cliffs and wide rivers were not a problem. They didn’t have to take the longer path to find bridges and passages. ‘These things are… the desserts in life. You live your life; enjoy it and when you see that some bloody sullied fathead is having a good time on their high horse you shove them down to the dirt and enjoy that you gave them what they deserved’ he explained. ‘You don’t just go from one bastard to another and smite them in righteous fury. You don’t want to be a god of justice, remember? For tricksters intervening in human affairs is more like… a pastime and not a duty.’

Gabriel regarded him with an unreadable expression then he took a sip from his goblet of wine while he glanced away seemingly thinking about the god's words. Dean realized a day before that the angel liked wine more than beer, but it was sweeter so he was not surprised about it.

‘I’m not sure I completely understand the concept’ he said finally and Dean sighed. Gabriel learnt new things so easily, but when he had to change something he already knew in his own way it was hard to make him grasp the small differences. He understood the end result he wanted to achieve and knew and accepted what was needed to be done to reach that point; he absolutely failed to see why the road leading to that point mattered. If two things lead to the same outcome he didn’t see the difference between them at all.

‘You are way too focused on this’ Dean told him after a swig from his beer. ‘There is no need to try this hard, if it’s something you want to do this way fine, but walking around like the wrath of your God smiting the unrighteous is not going along with your disguise very well.’

Gabriel actually sighed and emptied his goblet in one go, Dean could see he was annoyed.

‘I’m not good at doing nothing. I need a purpose’ he said. ‘So I will keep doing what I’m good at.’

‘That’s bleedin’ deadly scamp, but there’s a delicate way to do this. You’re striking down like a thunderstorm’ which was most definitely the only way Gabriel had to ever settle things, by sheer power. It was almost terrifying that he could do that. Even the great gods had to use their wits and be careful with one another if they wanted to live, but Gabriel was not someone who ever stepped aside an obstacle he simply destroyed them at will. On the other hand he did mention raising chaos among the Giants, Dean only heard stories about them.

‘You said you turned the Giants against each other, why?’ he asked.

‘Because my Father commanded me to bring them forth and excite them against one another and to let them perish under mutual slaughter’ Gabriel answered.

‘And why did you have to do that instead of just burning them to dust?’ he asked then.

‘I did not question my Father just did what I was told’ the angel replied.

‘Was there ever a case when you had to do that again? Punish someone in a… unusual way instead of striking down with all your power?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m going to make an assumption here and say that your Father had very good reasons to give you the exact way of how those things needed to be done.’

‘What point are you trying to make?’ Gabriel asked.

‘That from what I heard about the Giants, making them fight each other to the death served them just right’ the demigod said. ‘If simply killing them would’ve been the same, then your Father would not have told you to make them fight.’

Gabriel considered his words with a serious expression and Dean refilled his goblet while he was lost in his thoughts. The angel hated talking about his brothers, after that one night when he told Dean the reason he left and had to hide on Earth he refused to speak a word of them again and looked positively willing to shed blood if Dean dared to bring any of them up. He didn’t get angry like this if it was his Father the demigod talked about.

‘It was probably the most appropriate punishment for their sins’ the angel concluded.

‘You could follow that route’ Dean offered.

'Meaning?' Gabriel asked.

'Don't just smite them. Figure out the appropriate punishment. I heard the Giants were violent and cruel to humans, your Father made you turn their wrath against one another.'

'Let the punishment fit the sin' Gabriel finished. 'I never thought about Father's orders that way' he added with a frown.

'There's a first time for everything' Dean chuckled. 'And I'm happy to inform you that you do seem to have a good functioning mind behind that cute face of yours, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to live up to this challenge.' Gabriel's frown morphed into an expression that signaled deep but intrigued consideration.

'Of course I can' he answered confidently after a few moments passed.

'We'll see about that' Dean said maybe a tiny bit skeptically. 'But not now, I'm gonna enjoy a nice meal, good beer and enjoy some much needed company after.'

Gabriel frowned at him again of course.

'As in get some bar wench or some other sweet bird in a bed and have my way with them' he explained. It took Gabriel a moment to get the exact meaning even if Dean was rather literal about it.

'Oh... I see' he said simply and went back to his wine. Dean regarded him with a searching look on his face.

'It would do you a mountain of good if you did the same' he told him. Gabriel just looked back at him dispassionately.

'I am not interested in such things' he said and Dean snorted.

'Away with you, just like you were not interested in wine either, or for that caramel covered hazels you like so much for that matter' because he sure knew that the angel was talking a load of bullcrap, he always said that he was not interested or that he had no need of something when he didn't know what said thing was like in the first place. Gabriel looked at him sharply after his words, which just proved that he was right. His lips curled into a smile as he opened his mouth to point it out.

'Not another word Dean' Gabriel warned him, which just made the demigods smile widen. The angel mostly got angry when he was defensive, annoyed or uncertain.

'You never even lay with a woman before, right?' he asked.

'Nor do I intend to' Gabriel told him sternly.

'Then you don't know what you're missing' the demigod answered.

'I sank low enough already without indulging in such futile acts like animals do' the angel snapped at him and Dean felt as blood rushed into his ears as anger spread through his body.

'If you're so high and holy you should be not sitting with an animal like me then' he said slowly in a low tone. He was not stupid to lash out in his anger bodily but he would not be insulted and stay silent. 'If it's such a bloody pain to sink down to my level, then you can just flap your wings and get out of here you arrogant prick.'

'Watch your tone with me Deandalon' Gabriel said. 'I was not--'

'I will _not_ watch my tone' the demigod answered sternly and he had to let go of his jug not to shatter it with his hand, but he did see from the corner of his eye that shadows were gathering in the corner behind him in his anger. 'My help you accept, demand it from me, but if you think that I will stand you treating me like I'm just scum, you self-righteous arse, then you are very much mistaken. You are not better than me and unless you stop acting like you are... we are done.'

He was not surprised to feel the electric power of the archangel on his skin, it was different, it felt darker, like the edge of a storm and not a spark of the sun. Gabriel's eyes were almost gold as he locked his gaze on Dean's face but the demigod didn't back off and kept his green eyes on him in return. There were only a few humans around them but they would soon notice their presence like this. Dean felt as the symbols marking his skin reacted to his anger, he knew that they would look almost black if he looked on them. Gabriel's face hardened to sharp lines, his lips thin and his golden eyes stormy. He was undoubtedly the most powerful being Dean felt the power of and it made his heart beat vehemently in his chest as his skin prickled with the charged air around them. His every instinct screamed at him to back off, to bow down, but he didn't listen to them just to the flaming anger burning under his skin.

Then Gabriel disappeared in a blink, Dean only caught the sound of wings as harsh cold wind roused up inside making most torches and candles die out and the humans to snap their heads up in alarm. None of them were staring at Dean so they did not notice that a moment ago there were two of them sitting in the dark corner and not just him. Dean let out a long breath as tension slipped out of his body, the barmaid was lighting up the candles and torches again and Dean knew his own shadows vanished as well.

'Was nice knowing you' Dean murmured into his jug of beer. 'Bloody bastard.'

x~x~x

Dean had a shitty night after Gabriel left, unsurprisingly. He drank his beer and ate his food but was too angry to charm the barmaid or someone else. He was just glad that they didn't go too far so that his trip back to the valley wouldn't be that long. He wasted way too much time with the bloody angel anyway. Sure, there were at least a hundred reasons why such a powerful ally would've been the best thing that ever happened to him and everyone else in the valley, but that didn't mean he had to swallow down an insult like that. He had to duck his head and smile at harsh words like that just too many times and he would be damned if he let it go for someone who was asking for his help. That arrogant, muddle-headed, annoying prick. He can try and stay hidden on his own. His brothers will drag his arse back to Heaven so fast that he won't even know what hit him, that was sure. Served him right.

'Dean.'

'Bloody--' he spun to the side and managed to stop cursing but he couldn't hide that he was startled. How did he just appear right next to him without Dean noticing? Bastard. 'Get lost' Dean bit out the second he managed to get himself under control.

'Stop' Gabriel told him. He had every intention to ignore him but of course the angel was suddenly in front of him and he grabbed his arm for good measures too so he couldn't side-step him.

'What?' he grumbled.

'Stop acting like a sulking child' Gabriel told him. Dean knew he would most likely start shouting any second now. He was sure that it was very clearly visible on his face as he glared down at the archangel. 'I don't...' the angel averted his eyes away for a second before he looked back at the demigod. 'I do not think of you as badly as my words might have suggested' he said. 'I was... uncomfortable, that angered me' his words were short and clipped, but clearly well thought out in advance.

'Well good that the truth comes out when you loose your temper then' Dean said, he would've crossed his arms over his chest but Gabriel still held his arm in his grip.

'It is not the truth, I spoke recklessly' the angel answered.

'That doesn't change a damn thing' the demigod told him angrily.

'Oh for the...' Dean felt as Gabriel's hand tightened around his elbow for a second and the angel even closed his eyes obviously trying to control his anger or frustration. 'Fine! I apologize.'

Dean just had to huff out a laugh at that.

'Oh the high and mighty archangel was willing to lower himself to blabber empty sentiments for little old me, I am truly touched.'

'Dean... just...' Gabriel seemed to struggle with his words and Dean narrowed his eyes on him because that was certainly an unusual sight. 'I apologize' he repeated. His tone was lighter, it seemed a tad more genuine.

'What? Isn't saying that beneath you?' Dean asked, his tone still harsh.

'Pride makes one fall the deepest' Gabriel said quietly. Dean took a deep breath and sighed dramatically. He was going to regret this, he knew it.

'Loki' he said.

'What?' blinked Gabriel at him, obviously confused.

'You told me to search you a name' Dean answered. 'So... Loki... “Close to the Sky”... that's what I came up with.'

'Isn't that... too obvious?' Gabriel asked. Dean shrugged.

'Most gods will assume you were named like that in hope you would reach greatness' he explained. They stayed silent for a few moments.

'It's a... good name...' Gabriel said.

'Well don't go around telling humans too much because worship is sure to come then even if you are a trickster' Dean warned. 'But only use this if you meet gods.'

'Understood' Gabriel said with a nod.

'Good, let's get going already' Dean grumbled as he moved to step away and Gabriel let go of his arm and turned to walk beside him. He knew he would regret it, but damn he was too bloody sentimental for his own good, he could never leave behind someone who was completely alone in the world. Puck told him once it would be the death of him, but even so he could never turn his back. Foolish really, so very foolish. It never ended well.

'You want some hazels?' Gabriel asked out of the blue. Dean looked at him in surprise as the angel had a small bowl in his hand full with those caramel covered nuts he liked.

'Where'd you get that?' he asked.

'I realized I can make them' the angel answered simply. Dean looked down at the small bowl for a second then he took a handful from the offered sweets.

x~x~x


	11. Chapter 11

 

Gabriel lost count of how many times he stopped and observed what he was doing or what was happening around him and asked himself how it was possible that he was there at all. He did not know whom to curse for this life he had to build for himself. He accepted everything as a necessity, things that were needed to be done. It didn't mean that he was in any way less irritated about them. He contemplated not just once whether it would be better if he stopped, if he would let Michael and Raphael find him. Michael would surely punish him for his departure and even more so for the taint of Creide's spell that Gabriel could feel in every fiber of his vessel – his body – and surely his older brothers would feel too. He would be punished and he would have to bow down and step in line, everything would be simple after that. Black and white, his brother would make all decisions and Gabriel wouldn't need to do anything but obey. His path would be clear and simple once again, but no matter how simple it seemed, the very thought of following and obeying Michael like he was God, made his very being shudder with a sense of wrongness that was thousand times worse than the feel of his darkened soulless vessel confining his grace.

And yet it was him posing as some god. The thought still made his grace coil tighter uncomfortably, it was something his Father would certainly punish, yet He did not show nor did He summon Gabriel for his disrespect, and that was a cold and lonely feeling. At this point he would've been glad if his Father showed up just to admonish him. That was his family, brothers he was hiding from, brothers he left behind and a Father that has abandoned them all. He was alone... well almost, he reminded himself as he shifted his awareness back to his surroundings. Only two walls separated him from Dean, the angel only widened his senses for a short moment to confirm that he was still in the same room. His... companion was enjoying some long demanded female company, several for that matter. Gabriel would've gone to find someone worthy of punishment by a higher power but Dean warned him of going alone for a trip like that. Gabriel wanted to chide him for such an unnecessary warning, but realized that it was probably wiser to listen to his advice. The archangel found himself being surprised many times by the human world he always thought he knew well, better than any angel. His experiences were most definitely limited now that he looked back on them.

He agreed to follow Dean's instructions so he stayed close and waited. He never would've thought that he would ever listen to a word of a worldly creature like him, but here he was following the path he had opened up and helped to build. Loki... that was his new name. It felt foreign and empty, and he might've been on his way to pretend to be something else but he was not ready to throw his sacred God-given name away, Dean said he only had to use it among other gods so Gabriel hoped it will take more time before they encountered some. No matter what, a name was a powerful thing, he was reshaped to something new, he may have started to carve out a place for himself in the world but the second he took that name as his he would be remade with no hope to ever truly turn back.

'Were you standing here all night?' came a voice to his left and he turned and looked at Dean. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice him approaching. He was only half-way dressed and even his feet were bare as he leaned to the wall looking at the angel. Gabriel's eyes shifted to the various symbols and words marking the demigod's skin. Some he recognized as protection, some where parts of more offensive magic.

'Are you feasting your eyes on me right now?' Dean asked in an obviously amused tone.

'You have seven different spells seared on your body' Gabriel observed.

'Yes, I'm aware. It's my body after all' came the answer. Dean's tone was even more cheerful than usual. 'But really, if I had known that you would stand in one place and do nothing all night I would've invited you in. I'm sure the ladies would've liked you very much.'

Gabriel scowled at him and Dean chuckled at his reaction.

'Oh come inside already' Dean laughed as he pushed himself away from the wall. 'They already left' he added when the angel wanted to open his mouth to protest. All the various scents inside hit Gabriel at once, but one was stronger than anything else and he frowned at the light veil of smoke.

'What is this?' he asked.

'Just burning some moonflower' Dean answered with a sly smile, then he turned away and filled two goblets. He handed one to Gabriel, that amused and easy smile was still playing on his lips but now his darkened eyes also caught the angel's attention.

'You're intoxicated' he concluded, the smoke was not affecting him but he could still sense what it was capable of. Dean shrugged.

'Just a little, my mind is clear enough it just makes me... relaxed' he smiled again then he took a few large gulps from his drink. Gabriel followed his example and was surprised when he tasted something thicker, smoother and sweeter than wine. Dean must've read his pleased surprise as his smiled widened to a grin. 'Good, huh?' he asked. 'Not the kind of liquor I can often get my hands on, so enjoy.'

'You seem to be in very good mood' the angel said.

'Oh yes' Dean replied with a laugh. 'You know a good thorough fucking tends to have that effect.' Gabriel stopped drinking for a moment then swallowed his drink carefully. 'I was not joking when I said that it would do you a--'

'And I was not joking when I said that I don't intend to... indulge in such things' Gabriel interrupted. Dean rolled his eyes dramatically.

'I'm trying to convince you that there is something very good and enjoyable you could do and you're resisting me' he said in an incredulous tone.

'It would be best if you stopped bringing this up' Gabriel told him.

'But I just don't understand--'

'I think I told you enough about the Nephilim' Gabriel interrupted angrily. 'The Giants' he clarified at Dean's frown. 'Even you can see why it would be... inadvisable to repeat mistakes of the past.'

'Oh' Dean blinked a few times then understanding lighted up his face. 'So that's why you're objecting so much' he said with a chuckle. 'Human women are off the list then, no problem. There are plenty of other options.'

Gabriel took a deep breath at those words and lightly shook his head. He knew Dean's stubbornness well, that was the very first thing he learnt about him, so he had the feeling that it would take a long time for him to forget about this. He did not plan to cave in this time though no matter how annoying the demigod started to be. He took another sip from his drink and when he looked up again Dean was looking at him with a particular expression on his face, he seemed thoughtful but there was something unreadable in his eyes as well. Then he emptied his goblet and put it down.

He walked across the room and only stopped right in front of Gabriel then he took the goblet out of his hand and put it aside without a word.

'What is it?' he asked. He actually had to tilt his head back a little to look at his face with such a small distance between them.

'I'm tired of having an argument when I know that I'm right' he said as he leaned closer putting one of his elbows on the wall right above Gabriel's shoulder.

'What are you doing?' the angel asked with a deep frown.

'Winning this argument the simplest way possible' the demigod answered. Now that he was this close Gabriel could smell the sweet-sharp scent of the moonflower smoke on his skin, but no trace of anything else not even the smell of the women he laid with. Gabriel was used to his presence, his power was all dark corners and sharp edges, but something burningly alive with the brilliance of a human soul buried underneath it all. It was a fascinating contradiction even without paying attention to the way he really was.

The feel of soft wet lips on the side of his neck made him froze and tense up.

'Dean, what are you--' His question was cut off when one of Dean's fingers landed on his lips.

'Silence, trust me' he said, still close enough that his breath was dancing on Gabriel's skin. 'It's just some fun. It's practically causing me physical pain looking at you being like this, bright things should not be so still' his lips descended to Gabriel's neck again. Mouthing at the skin there, his lips exploring, teeth grazing gently, tongue darting out to taste. While his hand slid down from his lips to the other side of his neck his thumb stroking the line of his jaw.

'Dean--' Gabriel tried to interrupt again but his voice sounded uncertain even to his own ears.

'Calm down already' Dean chuckled, his breath coming out in a huff and Gabriel could feel it on his skin how his lips curled up into a smile. 'Close your eyes' Dean breathed. 'Don't think of anything... Trust me' he said again when the angel didn't comply immediately. Gabriel closed his eyes and was surprised by the shallow breath that rushed out of him when Dean's entire body closed in, crowding him to the wall.

It was hard not to think as he couldn't even begin to comprehend what exactly was happening or figure out what could've possibly triggered it, but the sensation of Dean being this close and his mouth mapping his skin was surprisingly distracting and Gabriel found his thoughts being cut off repeatedly. The demigod unbraced the clasp on his cape and pushed it down from his shoulders swiftly then he leaned down to seal his lips on his now exposed throat. It sent an unexpected shiver down Gabriel's spine and it was an unusual feeling, but not unpleasant. Dean untied the lace of his shirt next exposing more skin and dragging his lips down to the top of Gabriel's breastbone. His other hand descended and pulled his shirt out of his trousers then warm fingers slid underneath the material and a quiet noise escaped Gabriel's lips without conscious thought or his permission. Dean chuckled into his skin.

'Now that's more like it' he said, his breath ghosting over Gabriel's throat. Then he grabbed his shirt with both of his hands and tugged it upwards and the angel had to raise his arms to allow the material to be pulled over his head. Dean tossed the shirt away carelessly before he slid closer covering Gabriel's body with his own until they were chest to chest their skin touching and the angel's breath got stuck in his throat when Dean slid a knee between his legs and leaned in even more. 'Hmm' hummed the demigod, he caressed Gabriel's cheek with the tip of his nose. 'That's what I like to feel' he said as he rolled his hips forward. The angel inhaled sharply at the sudden sensation that ran through his body. It was unknown and surprising, his body's reaction was instantaneous. His heartbeat and breathing already increased, but now he felt as his skin warmed and tightened, how his blood was rushing down into his groin with vehemence.  Now everything was as far from “unpleasant” as possible.

Dean kept up the slow motion of his hips for a little while as he kissed, licked and bit the soft skin under his ears. Gabriel's hands darted up and grabbed a hold of him when he sucked a red mark into the skin where neck met shoulder, he licked over the sensitive skin before descending down to the angel's collarbone then even lower. He briefly licked over a nipple then he slowly slid down to his knees not once separating his lips from Gabriel's skin. The angel looked down opening his eyes.

'Dean wha--'

'Hush now' Dean interrupted him once again. 'I don't get down on my knees just for anyone so appreciate it by not asking questions for once.'

Dark green eyes locked on him and Gabriel nodded, he got a wide smile in return. Dean leaned closer again and the angel's head tipped back and knocked to the wall when he pushed his face into the growing hardness. Gabriel could feel his breath even through the material as he was nuzzling, mouthing and stroking him through it. His breath was shallow and his heartbeat was faster than he had ever experienced before while sweat broke out on his skin, but nothing compared to the way his body heated up even further whenever Dean put pressure on the hard blood-filled body part still confined in his slacks.

Dean undid his belt and untied the lace of his pants wispily and Gabriel sucked in a sharp breath as air hit the heavy erection between his legs. The demigod stroked a hand up his thigh in a somewhat soothing gesture as the angel's breath was coming in shallow gasps. Gabriel could do nothing to stop the noise coming out of his mouth when Dean wrapped his fingers around his length. He grabbed onto one of Dean's shoulders in reaction too.

'Relax' Dean soothed as he made long gentle strokes. 'Don't break my shoulder' he added and Gabriel eased up his hold at the warning. When Dean leaned in to lick a long line along the underside of his erection was when Gabriel's mind fell to pieces. His entire perception narrowed down to the warm wet tongue caressing his flesh, then Dean's full lips were on him too mouthing along his length and he was overwhelmed.

He felt like the sensation was too much, it sent electric heat over every part of him and he could not control his body like he was used to, not either of his physical reactions nor the noises that he made. He moaned loudly when Dean closed his lips around the thick dripping head of his hard member and his head slammed back into the wall while his other hand came up too finding grip on Dean's skull. The only thing he could remind himself was not to grip too tightly. Dean swirled his tongue around the head and also licked at the slit teasingly before he started sucking. Gabriel felt as pressure was building inside of him, making his skin feel tighter and hotter with every second.

'Dean... I'm... nhh' his words died and morphed into another moan as the demigod took him in deeper into his mouth. The feel of the tight heat encircling him was indescribably pleasurable and he couldn't think of anything but to feel more and to reach the end of the building pressure because as it increased it became better and he felt like he would ignite and burn down to ashes if it didn't... end somewhere... soon. Dean was moving his head swiftly, his hand holding tightly and stroking what he couldn't swallow while his lips were firmly wrapped around the throbbing flesh as it filled his mouth.

It took nothing but a moment more for Gabriel's body to tense up completely as the burning pleasure exploded inside of him and all thought fled from his mind just like his sense of his surroundings. Outside of the pleasure washing over his body it filled him also with such completion he has never experienced before. He did not pay attention to Dean as his senses slowly returned to him, he opened his eyes only long moments later. His breathing and heartbeat were still erratic and he was leaning heavily on the wall as Dean was holding his hips keeping him there.

'So was I right, or was I right?' Dean asked as he put a kiss on his stomach and looked up at him with darkened mischievous green eyes.

'This...' Gabriel breathed out, he didn't actually have the words to describe it, but Dean surely knew what he felt right now. 'I don't even... so good' he said finally, it was still hard to focus for him but he didn't care. Dean chuckled again and he sounded rather pleased.

'Oh trust me... this is not even the best of it' he said and Gabriel had to look down on him again. His smiling lips looked blood-red and swollen. 'Let me guess... that sounds very intriguing, right?' The angel just nodded again as Dean got to his feet.

'I'm... what made you do this?' he asked because despite the demigod's insistence that he had to engage in such activities he did not think that he would actually take things into his own hand... and he literally did that, which sounded rather amusing when he thought about it, he felt that his lips curled up to a small smile.

'Why not?' Dean shrugged as he asked, he didn't step back from Gabriel, but the angel didn't mind. 'No need to think too deeply Gabriel' he said, his words dropping down to an almost whisper. 'It is something fun and pleasurable, you do it to make yourself feel good. And I just could not stand you not knowing what you were missing. Now I won the argument, right?' he was smirking now.

'Yes, you convinced me... thoroughly' Gabriel answered.

'Good' Dean answered and he reached out and picked up Gabriel's goblet he put aside earlier, he pushed closer to the angel's body while doing so and he looked down with a raised eyebrow right after.

'Yes, you are very much convinced I see' he said slyly.

'Well, you're very close' Gabriel said, that surely was a suitable explanation why his body started to react again.

'Oh you flatter me' Dean chuckled. 'You want me to touch you again?' he asked in playful tone as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'Yes' Gabriel answered right away.

'Hmm... fine, but I want something too first' Dean said and again his eyes were sparkling with humor.

'All right, what is it?' Gabriel asked, he was not surprised about the request as Dean very much enjoyed such activities. The demigod didn't answer, not with words. He put the goblet down again then wrapped a hand at the back of Gabriel's neck and sealed their lips together. The angel parted his lips when he felt Dean's tongue seeking entry and he moaned at the feel of it. It was not as intense pleasure as when Dean's lips were otherwise occupied but it was still good. He was more surprised when Dean echoed his moan with his own when Gabriel managed to mimic what the demigod was doing and kissed him back.

They only parted after long moments and Dean's lips were even redder now and Gabriel suspected that his own looked slightly similar as he felt that they became warmer and were tingling with sensation.

'You wanted this?' Gabriel asked, his voice quieted down.

'Not every day can I have the first kiss of an archangel' Dean answered with a smile and Gabriel found himself smiling back.

x~x~x


	12. Chapter 12

 

Dean was not complaining, he really wasn't, he just waited for the inevitable moment when his own irresponsibility came back to bite him in the arse, because it always happened, he never managed to get away with being inconsiderate in his life. And this? This was insanely irresponsible, even if he was literally not in his right mind when he jumped the angel on a whim. Again he was not complaining it was just... no matter how he looked at it there were only good things about it for now and surely that could only mean that it would end badly, he didn't have the kind of life where things stayed good. He actually suspected at one point that his Mother left him with a curse as well on top of throwing him out.

He never thought about how things could go wrong usually, but this time it was harder to ignore that one annoying voice in the back of his mind. That of course didn't mean that he couldn't do it, he very much managed to squash it down almost entirely. He felt way too pleased with himself to be worrying about the future and that helped a lot, because he only had to look at Gabriel and he felt a wash of satisfaction of a job well done.

Gabriel was more leisure like all of his hard edges were smoothed down and he had a lighter air around him altogether. So yes, Dean felt satisfied about that, and it was not like he would've been able to push him into the arms of some lesser goddess or other non-human, some stranger to touch someone who has never been touched before and not like Dean didn't enjoy all he could do immensely. Gabriel probably wouldn't have cooperated if it would've been someone else advancing him and besides, deities tended not to take sex as lightly as Dean did. It could be used as leverage, as an advantage, it was used in magic in countless ways, it could be payment, a reward or a gesture of obedience or worship. He made sure to explain that to Gabriel, the angel simply told him that he didn't plan on getting that close to any goddess, Dean laughed and told him that he will change his mind sooner or later.

Again Dean was not complaining about that either, it was good to think about being the only one to have the archangel's focus and attention for now. He was not used to regular partners, in fact he couldn't remember anyone he spent more than one or two nights with in his entire life, but he figured he could make an exception in this case since he was sure that Gabriel wouldn't stick with someone like him much longer now that he got the basics, so he really should just enjoy himself as long as he could.

He had to admit that he never slept as peacefully as when the angel stayed close to him, he usually couldn't sleep too deeply being always alert of any danger that could lure in the night, any of his enemies finding him unexpectedly, but Gabriel's presence made him forget about it, he was powerful enough to make even Dean relax and feel safe enough to sleep properly. That he could really get used to.

'This feels much more familiar already than it has any right to be' he said as he shifted a little, he recognized that he was sleeping on Gabriel immediately the second he woke up. It was not the familiarity of his body, even if he did start to get to know that in detail, but the smell. He couldn't actually put a finger on it, he recognized the scent of sweets – honey or caramel – because Gabriel basically ate nothing but those so it lingered around him gingerly and Dean had a good enough smell to pick up on it, but beyond that he couldn't identify the other fresh and clear scent and he never smelled it before on anything or anyone but the angel so it was something distinctively unique he would recognize anywhere.

He turned from his side to his back, his head again in the angel's lap and he was greeted with Gabriel's face and almost golden amber eyes.

'Don't you get bored just watching me sleep?' he asked, he understood how the angel as a true celestial being made of pure light and energy could sustain his human body without any nutrition or rest perfectly but it still felt somewhat strange to sleep while Gabriel didn't.

'It is only a few hours' Gabriel answered easily. 'Besides I find myself enjoying the peace and seeing with my own eyes that you can actually be silent for a little while.'

Dean looked at the angel at those words for a few moments then rolled his eyes when he caught the slight smile appearing in the corner of his mouth. It was phenomenal that Gabriel was finally catching up with humor and he liked it despite showing annoyance.

'Well I know for a fact that you like me being loud too' he answered with a smirk.

'Loud and incoherent' Gabriel nodded seriously in agreement that made Dean laugh. It's not like they managed to do much in the past two days – well not everything – but just like with every other new thing the angel learnt really fast and he was beyond enthusiastic and eager. Dean figured that if he would've gone without for as long as Gabriel he would also get really enthusiastic about pleasure after getting a taste.

'Hmm... well I don't turn incoherent on my own... wanna do something about it?' he asked challengingly and he had an archangel on top of him ravishing his mouth the next second like he expected. Good thing they didn't bother with putting on any clothes back the night before.

Gabriel might've been smaller than him in his human form but he was stronger and Dean felt the edge of that strength in his every movement in the way the angel shifted them, pulling his body closer to his own. Dean has never lain with a man who was stronger than him, on the occasions he found himself in the mood for this he only ever picked humans. He didn't think that it would make much difference, but he found his body reacting more than it ever did before with any human male. Gabriel was so powerful he could practically taste it on his tongue, feel it on his skin even as his power was dimmed now, it was thrilling. The angel's dick lining up to his was also just perfect. He moaned at the feel of it and buried his fingers in Gabriel's gold brown hair.

'You know' he breathed out when his lips were free, Gabriel moved down to mouth at his neck, oh he really learnt quickly how to make Dean hot. 'We could get some ladies to join our fun.' he offered and Gabriel raised his head to look down on him questioningly. 'Would give you the chance to get to the main event and the more the merrier' he grinned. Gabriel's eyes narrowed, not in anger, but consideration.

'No' he said after a few moments.

'What do you mean 'no'?' Dean asked. 'I thought we established that this is good, don't you want more?'

'Yes' Gabriel told him. 'But I want it with you.' Dean just blinked at him.

'What? Why?' he asked in surprise.

'Because you I know, and trust' Gabriel said. 'Because all of this is new for me, you know all this better than I so whatever it is you want me to try I will, but with you. No strangers.'

Dean found himself staring at the angel for a long moment.

'I... I don't actually do that' he told him then.

'All right, can we continue what we started?' he asked and was about to lean back down but Dean stopped him.

'Wait a second, that's it? It's either me or you won't do more... with anyone?' he asked. 'That's like... blackmailing' he said. Gabriel smiled a little.

'It is not' he said. 'Since I don't demand it from you.'

'Of course you are.'

'You're the one insisting that I engage in such things' Gabriel reminded him. 'I'm merely telling you how I prefer to have the experience.'

Dean rolled that around in his head and grudgingly admitted that it was indeed not blackmailing, but still.

'Why the hesitance?' Gabriel asked suddenly. 'I was under the impression that you are enjoying yourself with me.'

'Yes, course I do' Dean answered, no question there. But Gabriel asked him to yield and he might've done a lot of things but he never bowed down to the will of another, there were gods who wanted to take him and he never succumbed no matter the consequences. Gabriel just looked at him curiously, no threat hidden in his words, no violence or the desire to conquer in his eyes and Dean wondered why he kept comparing him to the great gods when he was nothing like them.

He hooked a leg around Gabriel and rolled them both over swiftly, the angel went willingly. Dean straddled his hips and sat up once the angel was on his back looking up at him and reaching out to rest his warm hands on the demigod's hips, his fingertips stroking his skin idly.

'You're right' he said, he was thinking too much, he didn't have to be that careful with Gabriel, he was not one of the scheming great gods who saw everything as battle of wills or a game of power. It also hit him that while he might've been helping Gabriel to act like a god he didn't actually want him to turn into one of them. 'I should be your first' he continued quietly. 'No matter who comes after me, this you will always remember, so it should be with someone who's real good at it.' He leaned down and kissed him, Gabriel kissed him back.

Dean took charge and rolled his hips down and the angel's fingers tightened on his hips at the friction, the demigod also bit his lips at the feel of it.

'Conjure up some oil for us, would you?' Dean asked when they parted. Gabriel looked at him for a second than his eyes glanced to the side. The demigod followed his line of vision then grinned when he saw the vial filled with the light-gold almost clear liquid. 'You got really good at creating' Dean remarked before he reached out to pour a liberal amount on his hand. No need to drag things out.

His surroundings shifted suddenly and he found himself on his back abruptly with Gabriel on top of him.

'What?' Dean asked.

'You're anxious' Gabriel observed.

'No I'm not' Dean objected right away, The angel looked at him meaningfully, but it only caused him to glare and Gabriel chuckled softly at that. The sound so unexpected that Dean forgot about everything for a second and stared up at the angel with slightly widened eyes and just like that, all unease about the position he was in vanished without a trace. Gabriel entwined their fingers on one hand promptly smearing the exotic smelling oil Dean poured out before. He leaned closer and Dean was sure it was for a kiss, but Gabriel's mouth hovered above his own for a moment before he turned his head away. His hand slipped out from Dean's and he started to trail his finger along the inside of his wrist and his forearm moving up to his shoulder, leaving a wet shiny line of oil as he went. Then the two fingers became three as he stroked a line along Dean's collarbone then down to his chest, his golden eyes following his fingers and Dean felt his heartbeat picking up even from such a simple exploratory touch, but there was bare want in the angel's eyes and his hand moved with more certainty than expected.

'Aren't you supposed to be the virgin here I need to teach?' Dean asked.

'Inexperience does not equal naiveté' Gabriel told him. 'Besides, your body is something I already know well' he added, which Dean wouldn't have believed from anyone else after only two nights spent together but he believed Gabriel, he learnt everything damn fast after all.

'Or you are just too good at hiding what you really feel' Dean said and the look the angel sent him meant clearly that he hit pretty close to the mark. Gabriel's hand descended to his stomach and he smeared some of the oil there into his skin, then he leaned down and put a kiss in the middle of his chest right above his heart. And that was a lot more affectionate than Dean expected anything to be between them.

'Gabriel?'

'You are undoing and remaking me Deandalon, every passing day, even every passing moment I am with you' Gabriel whispered to his skin. 'I – who am older than this world – is being reshaped by your hands, by your words... so what I really feel is that you're the being that builds up my new world and first or not first I will bear your marks forever now... so do not act like what I want now is trivial or if it is for you or just an inconvenient chore... I am leaving.' He raised his head and locked his amber eyes on Dean after he finished talking and the god just stared back at him for a moment in utter surprise. Gabriel turned serious so quickly that Dean almost found the change hard to follow.

'What do you want from me then?' Dean asked.

'I want you to understand that I am not just some bar-wench warming your bed for a couple of nights so don't even try to threat me like that. And that if you don't desire what I, then say no and we are done, don't insult me by acting like you are doing charity with this.'

Dean blinked a couple of times and it took him a few moments to wrap his head around everything the angel said.

'What? You want a love declaration?' he asked, he was still confused and he always reacted with anger when he was.

'I want you to stop degrading this!' Gabriel snapped at him his face darkening with the first traces of anger and they were still close enough so Dean could feel how the angel's body went rigid with tension. Dean reached out after a long and heavy silence fell between them putting one of his hands on the side of the angel's neck despite it being still covered with oil. Gabriel's brows were furrowed and the sharp angry lines he was used to see a few weeks back returned. Dean moved his hand down from his shoulder to his chest and only stopped when he reached the spot where he could feel the angel's heart beating strongly under his skin. Gabriel raised his hand to his and covered it, wrapping his fingers around his tightly, keeping it in place but his face was still all hard edges and his body was still stiff with tension, his amber eyes focused on a random spot in the room and not Dean's face.

Dean reached out with his other hand too, putting it on the angel's cheek, trying to get him to turn his face back towards him, Gabriel resisted but after a second he turned his head a little and put a kiss on his palm, then the inside of his wrist. Dean watched as the angel took a deep breath then turned to look at him, and there was more affection in that one glance than Dean ever remembered being on the receiving end of.

'Will being honest keep you here even after I stop being useful to you maybe?' he asked and no matter how neutral he wanted his tone to be he couldn't stop the hint of raw disbelief filtering into it, because he knew it wouldn't.

'Dean...'

'I know it won't, so just don't--' Gabriel silenced him with a kiss and Dean forgot to protest.

'If it was only about your usefulness I would've already left' Gabriel whispered not moving his lips away only by an inch from Dean's. 'I want you, so tell me... do you want me the same?'

'Yes' Dean answered, unable to give anything but a straight answer. Gabriel still held his hand cradled to his chest and his dark golden eyes demanded his full focus, capturing his gaze and not letting go for a second when he backed away a bit more to look at Dean's face.

'I care for you, do you care for me the same?' the angel asked. Dean felt as his chest tightened with anxiety, how could Gabriel demand this of him, to speak so openly?

'Yes' he breathed, that one word felt like it was splitting him open, tearing up his chest until it was raw and vulnerable, a gaping hole where it was easy to stab.

'I will stay as long as you want, you have nothing to do but ask' Gabriel said next.

'Just like that? Truly?' Dean asked in return.

'I don't do anything halfway, Dean. You're either mine completely or you are not mine at all.'

'And are you mine in return?' the god asked skeptically, but maybe, just maybe there was the barest hint, the smallest sliver of hope in his voice when he asked.

'I left everything behind so I have no one else to belong to.'

'But... I'm just... just a trickster' Dean said, he was way below the level Gabriel could've aimed at.

'So am I' Gabriel answered with a real smile, one that was wide enough that it almost showed teeth, and that was still such a novelty to see on his face that it made Dean swallow down his words to just look at the curl of his lips fondly. 'Let me have you' Gabriel asked of him next.

'Yes' Dean answered him, this time without a second thought.

x~x~x


	13. Chapter 13

 

They didn't bother to get into a town as the weather was good and they could use some time on their own without watching out for curious human ears. Dean was no romantic and certainly not someone to splurge but when Gabriel coaxed him down to the ground and took him under the starlit nightsky for all of Earth and Heaven to see them it clenched his heart with the most delicious pain he has ever felt. He felt wanted, every caress of his fingers, every sound escaping his lips – especially the way he said Dean's name – every kind or heated look in those dark-golden eyes touched him somewhere deep inside in his very being. He was stunned, rendered speechless and almost in awe how Gabriel could make him feel so much so very suddenly. It was almost frightening how he felt stripped down and opened up to his very core everything laid bare for the angel to see. There was no golden mean for him, it was either yes or no, and Dean whispered yes hundred times over.

They lay on the soft blanket the angel whisked into existence staring at the sky for a very long time, it was always Dean explaining things in the past but now he was content listening to what else was out in the world where the god has never been before and to all the things that were beyond his world. How stars were born from a spark of life or how some died a long time ago despite their light still gracing the sky, how Gabriel saw empires rise and fall even back in the dawn of humanity. Dean never felt younger in his life as he listened to his voice and he just stared at the angel who somehow thought him to be a worthy companion in his new life, he couldn't understand it, he didn't even try.

Then Gabriel told him suddenly that he remembered something and that he will be right back then he disappeared in a flutter of his wings, Dean had to remind him to learn to silence the sound of his wings when he took flight. The god stared at the sky then closed his eyes enjoying the night breeze on his skin, until a small noise caught his ear. He sat up and looked around, his green eyes landed on a fox getting closer to him and he knew instinctively that it was no real animal.

'What do you want?' he asked, his tone authoritative and with an edge of a threat in it.

'Relax bucko, it's me.'

'Puck? What the bloody trollswamp are you doing here?' he asked in surprise. They were at least two days away from the valley if someone flew, a lot more on foot.

'Just came to check how you're moving along, and oh my dear boy, you are doing more than fine' Puck didn't change back just sat down to the other side of the campfire Dean lit up a few hours ago. 'Now you can just look at him with your big green eyes and we're--'

'It's not like that!' Dean interrupted angrily. 'I... care about him.' Puck looked at him and Dean could imagine how his expression would've looked like if he wore his usual face.

'Cute, my heart bleeds for you and your true love' he said. 'But I really hope you don't start to have any illusions all of a sudden.'

'He will stay with us' Dean told him. 'He said he had no one else to belong to, so he will be mine.'

'Really?' Puck snorted. 'It's not like you to be so naïve Deandalon. So he has no one to belong to... yet. Someone as powerful as him? Most goddesses will be all over him in a heartbeat as soon as he shows up among them, maybe even some of the gods.'

'He won't care, he wants me' Dean insisted.

'Right' Puck drawled. 'No offense kiddo, but goddesses like Ceres, Izanami, Sigyn, Kali or Bast are like beauty and power incarnate... and all available for that matter, regal forces to be reckoned with, queens of their own lands... you like running and wrestling with animal spirits.'

'But he...'

'Doesn't know any better yet, luckily.'

'He won't--'

'Get your head out of the gutter, I didn't raise a fool, now did I?' Puck interrupted sternly. 'Clear this nonsense out of your head. And since he seems to be smitten enough with you for now why don't you just... pout your lips, bathe your eyelashes or whatever else you can think of and get him to do what we need before he's up and gone along with our chances.'

'I don't want to--'

'Suck... it... up. I am following your plan, so why don't you do the same?' he turned around and swiftly disappeared among the shadows and Dean groaned and pressed the heel of his hand into his eyes, trying to clear out the sudden chaos inside his head with large breaths. His chest felt too tight and his skin too cold. He loathed the little voice in the back of his mind reminding him that Puck was usually right about everything.

He snapped his head up the second he felt and heard that Gabriel arrived back and he put on a smile.

'Hey' he greeted.

'So  I remembered...' Gabriel started as he sat back down, his cape still just lying on the ground so he only wore his brown pants and red shirt. 'Something I definitely failed to appreciate the last time I was here' he said, there was a small smile tugging on his lips. 'Here, try this.' He held a little brown cubicle in his hand and Dean frowned at him before he closed his lips around it. It melted into smooth sweetness immediately.

'What is this?' he asked.

'It doesn't have a name in your tongue, it's made out of cocoa beans, which you probably also never heard of' he smiled again. 'It's from a land far away from here, humans and gods enjoy it immensely there.'

He also took one into his mouth and he closed his eyes as he tasted it, a small pleased sound escaping his lips. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Dean.

'Do you like it?' he asked warmly, open hope written all over his face and Dean just stared at him for long moments.

'Yes, I do' he managed to squeeze out after a while, but the words almost choked him.

'Dean, what's wrong?' Gabriel asked, he raised his hand to cup Dean's cheek, the demigod looked back at him, Puck's words ringing in his ear.

'It's...' it was there on the tip of his tongue, the smooth silver lie the archangel would probably believe, but his throat closed down and his mouth was dry like sand. Gabriel looked at him with worry hardening his features and darkening his golden eyes. 'It's nothing' he finished and he smiled.

'Dean.' The god leaned forward and pressed his lips to the angel's gently, but also firmly keeping them close for long moments while he could savor the feel and the taste and the smell of Gabriel. 'Dean I know there is something wrong, your soul is practically screaming for me' the angel said as they parted.

'My what?' Dean asked.

'Your soul' Gabriel repeated.

'Like what humans have?' he asked.

'Yes' the angel confirmed. Dean frowned deeply then huffed out a breath.

'Great, so I'm even more human than I though I was' he said resignedly.

'A soul is not something to be ashamed of Dean, trust me when I say that it is your most precious possession.'

Dean turned to look at him skeptically, well he knew demons and some gods were willing to give a lot in exchange for one so it was probably not completely useless, but his most precious possession? Not likely.

Gabriel must've read his thoughts clearly on his face as he slid closer putting one hand on Dean's chest.

'Do not take its worth lightly' he said. 'Your soul is more beautiful and more powerful than any of the gods on Earth could every dream of being and it is more valuable than you could imagine, believe me.'

Dean just blinked at him with wide eyes at those words then nodded.

'Now tell me what is bothering you' Gabriel said.

‘What do you think of the spirits?' Dean asked, the angel frowned at him saw the change of topic for what it was clearly.

'They're the ones guarding the beauty of this world my Father created' he answered then.

'That's good' Dean nodded. ‘There are a lot of them in the valley. It would've been a problem if you couldn't stand them.'

'Yes I noticed them, also how every day new spirits arrived' the angel said.

'That's common, they disappear after a few days though' he shrugged. 'They were all so curious about you, but they were scared too. When we get back we should definitely show them that you don't mean harm. I mean they're just nature and animal spirits, but they're good company, we never do anything glamorous but... maybe you will have fun too.'

Gabriel looked at him searchingly and Dean hoped he would let it be for now, because he didn't know how to explain properly yet.

'I'm sure I will' the angel answered and the look in his eyes showed clearly that they were not done yet, but Dean breathed out in relief.

x~x~x

Their next day was tense, Gabriel was angry with him for his silence. The angel looked distant and colder, his words short and clipped, he almost radiated frustration, dear stars Dean could practically taste electricity close to him like the tension in the air before a storm. And maybe it was just Dean but it was uncharacteristically cloudy and windy all day, the smell of rain in the air, he wanted to believe that it was only a coincidence and had nothing to do with the angel's anger. Dean didn't want to imagine how the archangel would be like if he got truly furious, the thought alone sent a shiver down his spine.

'Gabriel... I've done nothing for you to be angry about' he said after hours of silence between them. The angel stopped.

'You are keeping something from me Deandalon, and I do not like that' and somehow Dean felt uneasy about the way his full name rolled off the angel's tongue.

'Well tricksters ain't famous for speaking out all straightforward all the time so you should get used to that one maybe' Dean shot back, Gabriel turned back towards him his eyes too bright, too much like gold.

'Oh you have to be cornered and forced to talk honestly at all' the angel stated. 'That I am used to, but the lack of trust you have in me? That's what I find infuriating.'

'Please, like you have any more trust in me' Dean told him. Gabriel's eyes narrowed.

'I think allowing you to shape the fate of the rest of my existence ought to imply that I do' he answered simply then he turned on his heel to keep walking, but Dean grabbed his arm as soon as his brain caught up with him.

'All right, fine... you're right. I should've told you sooner anyway' he said and his heart was already beating heavily in his throat.

'I'm listening' Gabriel prompted when the god fell silent, Dean let out a shaky nervous laugh at his impatience.

'I might have--'

'Deandalon!' both of them turned swiftly towards the voice and Dean recognized one of the wolfspirits of the valley dashing towards them. His frame incorporeal as always when wolfs were in a hurry and they ran like the stormy wind. 'Thank the skies I found you at last' he said as he landed next to them his body immediately taking up real shape as he stopped, no longer ethereal.

'What's wrong?' Dean asked.

'Creide's gone' he answered.

'What?!'

'She is gone, Patrick's loosing his darn mind and Puck is bloody nowhere! You have to come, we searched the valley and as far as we dared to move out but...'

Dean didn't have time to get another word out as Gabriel grabbed his arm and he reached out to put a hand on the wolf's head and the world shifted around them. Light, sound, smell, all colors and shapes were stretched and were gone so suddenly around them that Dean's senses couldn't keep up with it. He heard the sound of Gabriel's wings, but the world bent around them and they were suddenly standing in the clearing in front of Creide's house.

'Oh bloody stars... don't you do that to me again' cursed the wolf as he shook himself. Dean felt a bit disoriented himself by the sudden shift but he got over it quickly.

'Patrick!' he called as he moved towards the hut, he didn't even reach the door when it slammed open and the young man burst out.

'At last, Dean! Ma's gone, I have no idea where, I didn't know what to do... I tried to call Puck but he's not here and ye were gone and the spirits didn't know what to do and I--'

'Calm down!' Dean hushed, the lad looked paler than ever and he was almost shaking like a leaf. 'We'll find her in no time, I promise.'

'That maybe won't be that easy' Gabriel spoke. Both Dean and Patrick turned towards him.

'What? Why?' Patrick asked, all calm Dean's presence gave him swiftly disappearing again.

'Because I can't find her, I already tried, but I sense no trace of her presence' his eyes were a little distant then he focused on Dean and Patrick. 'And trust me there is not much in this world capable of hiding someone from an archangel.'

x~x~x


	14. Chapter 14

 

Creide was gone since five days. For four days the spirits looked for her and Dean, but even with the god and Gabriel returning to the valley they were not closer to finding her. The spirits would've noticed if anyone would've entered the valley with ill intentions and that meant that Creide left the valley on her own, but for her not to tell Patrick where she was going was beyond worrying. Her son always came first no matter what.

Patrick didn't shut his eyes for more than half an hour at a time since days, he trusted Dean and that if someone could find his Mother it would be him but he felt lost and terrified despite it. Suddenly he wanted to swallow back down all his childish complaints about not being allowed to get out of the valley on his own, he just wanted her back and he didn't care if that made him sound like he was a child again.

Gabriel searched even further than the spirits with no success. The archangel was disturbed by not being able to sense her location everyone could tell, he explained that angels could find any human on Earth at will and if Creide was hidden it meant that someone used a powerful spell to hide her presence or she was with someone stronger than Gabriel, which was unthinkable.

'There are only five beings in creation who wield a greater power than I' he said darkly.

The third option – that no one said out loud in front of Patrick – was that she was dead. Gabriel cut himself off of Heaven so he had no way of knowing if her soul arrived there or not. Dean would not believe that option to be possible. Creide was strong and skilled in her arts she would not be killed that easily.

'Regardless, she is but human' Gabriel told him quietly. Dean could tell that the angel didn't believe there was anyone knowledgeable enough in angelic magic to be able to hide someone from an archangel, but Dean was not ready to think Creide to be dead. Not yet.

On the sixth day Dean's eyes widened when Gabriel touched two fingers to Patrick's forehead and the young man crumbled into his arms like a rag doll unconsciously.

'He needed sleep' Gabriel explained simply and Dean nodded, the kid was ready to pass out from fatigue, but worry didn't let him shut his eyes for long. Not like the god slept much, but he was sure that the angel would simply knock him out too if he refused to rest that little he did.

On the seventh day Patrick realized that his Father's Book of Shadows was gone as well. Gabriel cursed in Enochian angrily.

On the eighth day Dean had no idea where to keep searching for a clue, any clue about where Creide might've gone with Gwydion's Book. He was tired and looking at Patrick made him feel like he failed. Gabriel drew him in his arms and told him that no blame fell on him. Dean wanted to believe him, but this was his home, his valley, he was everyone's guardian who lived here.

On the ninth day Patrick shouted and was breaking and crashing whatever got in his way and he was cursing and asking why Puck was not with them. What could be there more important that keeps him away when he should be helping them? Dean told him to give the faun some time as he probably didn't even know that Creide was gone.

He asked the spirits when they last saw Puck and most said he was gone since the day Dean left for his trip. Vulupa – the fox spirit – told him that he last saw the faun a few hours before Patrick came to them looking for his mother.

On the tenth day Dean summoned him.

x~x~x

One of the most useful thing about fairies was that they could be summoned with the right spell no matter where they were in the human world or the other side. Dean lost his patience for waiting for him to show up again.

Only Gabriel was by his side, Patrick asleep for the first time in three days. The second Dean finished the last words a crystal blue portal opened and Puck appeared in front of them stumbling through it.

'Dammit you bloody dimwit' he cursed. 'You know how unpleasant it is to be summoned.'

'Creide's gone' Dean said.

'Gone where?' the faun asked.

'If I knew that there would be no problem now would be?' the demigod answered.

'What do you want me to do about it?' Puck asked.

'Help maybe, it's been ten days already and she left the valley on her own. When did you two talk last? Don't you have any idea where she could've headed?'

'No, we are not that close to chatter regularly and I've been away since I expected you to be gone for a while longer.'

Dean looked at his friend for long moments.

'Where were you anyway?' he asked.

'Do you really want me to answer that question?' Puck asked in return glancing at Gabriel.

'Creide left with Gwydion's Book' Dean told him. 'Doesn't that give you an idea where she might've gone?' the god asked.

'Hmm... no.'

'You're lying' Dean said, his eyes widened for a second before his brows furrowed deeply.

'What now?'

'You're lying, I can tell' Dean repeated, his voice hardening. 'I know how you lie, you're the one who thought me how to lie. I can tell you are lying to me right now.'

'Deandalon, don't be foolish' the faun chided.

'Maybe it's you who should not be a fool' Gabriel said.

'You... stay out of this!' Puck pointed at the archangel with a stern look, Gabriel narrowed his eyes.

'What did you do Puck?' Dean asked, because he just knew there was something not right.

'You stupid kid' Puck grumbled. 'I swear I knew this was gonna happen, humans and gods are all the same, you get so easily distracted by shiny things, it's like that multiplied in you. You had a plan, _we_ had a plan! And you're leaving me in shit for some bloody angel, charmed and softened by pretty wings and golden eyes... I swear like a bitch dog in heat... unbelievable.'

Dean felt as the hair stood up on his back and he knew that the charge in the air was not natural, Gabriel was getting angry.

'What did you do?' he asked in a harder tone now, Puck was of course unfazed.

'Well since you were shitting all over the plan and I knew you would not listen to reason even before I tried to talk some sense into you I had to improvise of course.'

'Puck what in the bloody earth did you do?!' Dean was angry now, but Puck just sighed in an annoyed manner.

'Nothing too drastic' he said with a shrug as he started to pick his nails. 'I told her some additional information about Gwydion's death that I was in possession of.'

'What?' Dean blinked in surprise.

'Well I intended to leave her believe that it were demons taking revenge for the great Gwydion's research methods, but you didn't leave me that choice Deandalon. I had to do something to move things along, since you were too busy playing swain.'

'So she's...' Puck raised a hand and pointed behind Dean, the god glanced back and saw the great mountains in the distance. 'No... alone? Puck what in the stars were you thinking?! She could be already dead!' Dean shouted as he turned back.

'Like I said, I had to do something' the faun answered. 'This was the easiest to do.'

'And risking Creide's life? That doesn't matter?!'

'She's just one human Deandalon' Puck answered easily and it made Dean stop altogether. He just stared at him in shock. 'And I value my own life considerably more, so it seems like you need to get up to the mountains now. The sooner the better.'

'Get out of here' Dean growled, his markings darkened and spread on his body instantly as anger spread out in him.

'I did both of us a favour' Puck said.

'Leave. Now' Gabriel spoke up again. His voice was even, but the threat was almost tangible, Dean could feel the edge of the angel's power in the air and Puck could surely too.

'Be careful not to shine too brightly Pixie-boy' the faun told him before he vanished.

The silence was almost deafening to Dean's ear after his departure.

'After we get back with Creide' Gabriel said. 'You have some explaining to do.'

Dean just nodded silently not raising his head to look at the archangel.

x~x~x

The air was much colder high up in the mountains and the icy wind whipped at Dean's skin sharply the second he could take in his surroundings after Gabriel flew them up. They let Patrick sleep, there was no need to bring him along, but Dean did tell the spirits staying close to Creide's hut to tell Patrick that they went to get his mother back.

'We're definitely going to meet some gods' Dean said. 'So remember to keep your power in check and that your name is “Loki”.'

'I know' Gabriel answered. 'How are we going to find her? If she's alive?'

'She's alive!' Dean answered right away. 'And we will ask some questions to find where she is and depending on that... we'll see, just follow my lead.' He started walking up the pathway that lead to the stairs carved into the hard stone and lead up to the gods' residence. Whenever Dean saw it from far away he always thought it to be more of a fort than a castle, but most gods were wargods around here so he was not surprised about that.

Gabriel walked a little bit behind him as they climbed the stairs, there was no sneaking in to this place and Dean didn't want to lose the chance to bargain either by doing something like that. When they reached the top of the stairs the heavy metal doors leading in where wide open and the inner yard was silent and completely desolate.

'Is this supposed to be so empty?' Gabriel asked.

'Not at all' Dean replied. He’s never been here before but knew that there were supposed to be spirits that served the gods swarming in this place, maybe even some of the gods themselves.

'I may be new to this world, but this doesn't mean anything good, right?' the angel asked.

'No, it probably means something really bad' Dean answered as he started walking again through the iron gates with Gabriel behind him.

'That way' Gabriel spoke up the second he glanced around in the yard. 'I can't see everything behind that door, it's blank' he explained and he was walking closer already.

'Who-wait' Dean stopped him. 'Does this mean that there is indeed somebody with enough knowledge to hide something from you?'

'Or they just have the book' Gabriel explained. 'It has some Enochian sigils in it that might be able to do this if combined correctly.' Gabriel was already on his way again and Dean followed closely behind. The angel pushed open a wooden door at the top of the next set of stairs that landed them in an entrance hall. It was nothing too glamorous, mostly dark-grey stones and heavy drapes around the small stained glass windows. The hall was half-way lit by candles and torches which left everything in a vague orange twilight, it was much warmer inside so Dean was sure that someone must've been here.  Gabriel's eyes swiftly moved around the room and his head turned to the right a second before the voice rang through the hall.

'Deandalon' the god turned and froze, because he knew, instinctively felt who was standing before him and he couldn't stop his heart from racing, his mind to be flooded with an uncontrollable wave of thoughts.

'Morrígan' he breathed out the name. She was tall and slender, long golden hair fell down her shoulders. Black fur cloak covered her mostly, but a bright breast-plate peeked out from under it that was above her dark green gown. Her eyes were striking even in the dim lit room and for a second Dean thought they were golden, but no not golden – they looked nothing like Gabriel's eyes – her eyes were radiant bronze just like the armor she wore, but it must've looked golden in bright sunlight.

'You are allowed to call me “Mother”, Deandalon' she said as she walked into the room with slow elegant steps. 'No need to treat me like we're some strangers.'

'We are strangers' Dean answered, but he couldn't bring himself to snap angrily or put accusation into his voice.

'Hmm that may be' she drawled thoughtfully. 'Nevertheless blood is thicker than water as they say, but tell me first. What are you doing here?' she stopped several feet away her eyes not leaving Dean's face for a moment. 'I don't recall asking you here.'

'There's a witch, under my protection. I'm looking for her' Dean said. Morrígan's laugh rang in the hall.

'Oh, well I say you're more like me than I would've thought you to be then' she said. 'But that doesn't explain what you're doing here, nor who your companion is' she turned her eyes on Gabriel for the first time since she walked into the room. Her face thoughtful and searching.

'This is Loki... a friend of mine' Dean said. 'He's helping me with my search.'

'Loki you say?' she still kept her eyes on the archangel then a slow smile spread on her delicate face. 'That is a very amusing name choice' she said.

'Why would you say that?' Dean asked, but he didn't get an answer as suddenly brilliant white light filled the entire hall and he had to cover his eyes for a second, he heard Gabriel shout, but his voice was gone nearly immediately and when he opened his eyes the angel was gone from his sight. He swiftly turned around when he heard the door slamming shut behind him.

'Amusing name for an archangel, but I do think Gabriel suits him better' said the man standing next to the door with a symbol drawn with blood next to him on the wall. Dean felt as his entire body went rigid at the sight of him and he knew that all the symbols were burning black on his body already.

'Leomas' he growled. The god looked back at him impassively.

'You little pest just can't stop being troublesome' he said, Dean didn't have time to react when the god leaned away from the wall and in a blink he was right in front of him, too fast to follow him with his eyes, there was a hand on his forehead and everything went black.

x~x~x


	15. Chapter 15

 

The force slamming into his grace was sharp, sudden and more painful than anything he ever had to bear before. It tore him, tossed him out of the physical realm into the endless, shapeless ethereal veil he always crossed when taking flight, but this time everything was in chaos. He couldn't detect where he was, how long he was there and how to move back, his grace felt numb, shaky and almost unresponsive. It took him too long to realize what happened with his thoughts disoriented and unorganized. He was banished.

It should've been impossible for anyone on Earth to know magic like that, even if Lucifer did give away such knowledge to demons how could some earthly deities be in possession of it? They expected him, he was sure of that. Maybe they saw him when he arrived to Earth? Dean knew his name and who he was by looking at him, maybe the gods kept an eye out and knew Gabriel never left the valley. That still didn't explain the sigil.

It was too hard to focus and it took him a lot of concentration to find his way back to the human realm. The second he was out from the ether his wings felt heavy and his vessel crumbled under the weight of them. The air was too hot and there was sand under his hands and knees so he knew that he was far from where he was banished away. He tried to spread his wings and fly back, but his grace still felt too numb.

He tried to pinpoint how much time passed on Earth while he was gone, but he couldn't widen his senses to all dimensions, he could only feel what was right around him, he couldn't look further away in space and he couldn't see time. It was disorienting, too narrow, too thin... confining.

Then finally he was able to push himself off the ground and stand on his feet, he started to get back sensation into his vessel and his grace started to respond as it was supposed to. He first became aware of time again. Too much time passed, several hours.

His senses returned one after another and he could see clearly again, he knew he was thousands of miles away from where he was before, he became aware of humans again both close and far away and the traces of supernatural presence and shifts filtered back into his vision again.

He couldn't see Dean, the thought made his grace coil and he forced his wings to move already. For a moment he tensed when he had to step through the immaterial realm again, but this time he didn't get lost and he was out and in the physical world again in a blink of an eye. He landed in the yard of the mountain fort and his eyes widened as the sight.

All doors and walls were covered in symbols.

'No' he breathed. He recognized the wards immediately, but he had to test them out. He walked as close to the door as he could already feel the humming power of the magic guarding the place. He reached a hand out and his grace flared up in pain as he touched the wooden surface the wards lighting up brightly from his closeness. He couldn't even see what was beyond the walls and that made him fear for Dean.

He wanted to let his grace flame up and shatter the walls, break the door to splinters and march in, but Heaven would see that. And the gods were prepared; they would simply banish him again.

For the very first time in his existence Gabriel truly cursed Lucifer's name for handing out their knowledge even if he couldn't believe that his elder brother would give away spells, sigils and wards that could be used against him as well. But he didn't have time to think about Lucifer and his reasons; he had to find a way inside.

x~x~x

Dean woke suddenly and the first thing he noticed was the cold metal biting into his wrists and rough stones digging into his back. The air was cold and humid and he knew it was dark even before opening his eyes, which he did as he pulled at his shackles.

'Ye won't be able to break those, so stop struggling before ye hurt yourself.' Dean's head whipped around so fast that his neck almost hurt from the movement.

'Creide' he called out in relief.

'How on Earth did ye get here?' she asked from the other side of the room – the dungeon of the fort he never wanted to end up in – it was so dark he could only see her vaguely.

'Well, it might not look like it right now, but I came to save you' Dean offered and he pulled at his chains again, but they wouldn't budge.

'Stupid trickster' Creide mumbled. 'Stop doing that, the chains have a spell engraved in them, ye won't break it.'

Dean huffed in frustration, but it explained why he couldn't just snap the metal right away.

'Can't you undo that spell?' he asked. 'I could get us both out then.'

'Not likely' Creide answered.

'What? It's one chain, what do you mean not likely?' Dean asked her right away. This should not have been a problem for Creide. He saw as she moved and slowly got to her feet and frowned, but didn't understand until she walked closer.

Her raven black hair had white and gray mops in it and she looked older than ever, there were deep crow's feet around her eyes and all her light wrinkles deepened as well. She was just as pale and skinny as ever, but she looked worn and tired.

'What did they do to you?' Dean asked in something close to horror, Creide shook her head.

'Not important, listen to me' she walked closer until she could lean to the wall Dean was chained to. 'My Gwydion... they're behind that.'

Dean knew that Creide learnt something new about her late husband's death from Puck, but didn't know how that connected with the gods.

'Weren't you attacked by demons?' he asked because even if Creide didn't stay behind fighting side by side Gwydion she always told him that demons came for them.

'Yes, but they weren't driven by revenge. Even ye should know demons are not famous of camaraderie... they were sent to kill my Gwydion...'

'But--'

'Leomas has demons serving him' the witch interrupted and Dean knew his eyes widened a little.

'How is that possible?' he asked. Even the darkest gods thought they were too superior to meddle with demons and the demons didn't serve gods. If someone was strong enough it was possible to force one or two into obedience, but demons didn't bow willingly.

'Let me finish' Creide interrupted. 'The demons didn't kill him to punish him... the last demon Gwydion captured... was one of Leomas'... he found out something from it, something that was great enough to get him killed.'

'What?'

'I don't know... a secret, a weakness... I never understood Gwydion's behavior a few days before the demons came, but now I do... he knew what he found out was dangerous... probably why he never told me and he didn't write it down in his book in detail either.'

Dean let the words sink in and he stayed silent for a while considering them.

'And where are the other gods?' he asked. Because the unnatural stillness of the castle was still bothering him.

'Dead... mostly' Creide answered. 'Maybe some of them got away... Pillan might not be that far, but I saw the head of Kovas pierced on lance.'

'And... Morrígan?' he asked then.

'That I don't know... it's either her serving Leomas, or Leomas is under her command... maybe they're equal, maybe it doesn't matter... whatever is happening they are both moving it along.'

'But you don't know what that is' Dean said.

'I didn't came here to fight for justice, but for revenge... I didn't need to know their plans' Creide answered. 'Quiet now... she's coming' the witch said suddenly, a few moments later the  heavy door was pulled open and first a tall man walked in then Morrígan stepped inside as well. Creide pushed herself away from the wall and started walking back to the other side where she was before, her black eyes locked on the goddess the entire time.

Dean eyed the man and it took him only but a moment to see the darkness coiling under his skin, he only saw a demon once in his life but that was enough to recognize what was standing in front of them, he was sure that he would be able to smell his demonic stench too if he focused. His stare was cold, but it was glinting with cheerful violence as he looked Dean over.

Morrígan barely glanced at him, her bronze eyes followed the witch crossing the room.

'Creide' she spoke, her voice soft and kind. 'Now that we both had time to calm down and rethink our actions and... harsh words, I think it's time for us to try and talk again.'

'Well I think it's time for ye to get fucked by a horde of trolls' Creide spat, Morrígan's eyes narrowed, but the demon chuckled quietly behind her.

'Don't test me' she said warningly. 'I will get what I want to know one way or another.'

'Ye don't scare me' Creide answered wile raising her chin. 'Ye can puff all ye want you still won't be anything but a power-hungry whore.'

Morrígan's face darkened in a blink and she reached out with her hand, her fingers curling into a fist and Creide screamed. She fell to her knees as faint light glowed under her skin, her blood-vessels were radiating orange-golden light, visible even through skin and her hair turned even whiter in some places.

Dean didn't know when he started to scream at the goddess to stop, but he knew he was shouting as Creide's nails dug into the dirty stone under her, her whole body tensed in pain and her screams never stopped for a second. Morrígan dropped her hand a few moments later then and Creide fell to the floor. She was panting vehemently, but every breath was ragged and shallow. Even from the distance Dean could see how her entire body was shaking, her nails were bloody where she clawed at the floor and she was also bleeding from her nose, eyes and ears. Dean felt that his wrists were sore and he started to feel the pain where he tugged too hard on his shackles and the metal bit into his skin deeply, clawing up his wrist, but he didn't care about that.

'You know what the fascinating thing about witches is, Deandalon?' Morrígan asked, her tone soft again. Dean let his eyes trail away from Creide to look up at her, anger tensed his body, his markings were spreading and darkening. His muscles were all tight and his body was practically shaking with fury as he looked up at the calm and conversational face of the goddess. Morrígan walked closer to where Creide was still panting on the floor.

'They are the only humans who are truly capable to use the power they were born with' she said. 'Most of the mortals live through their lives not even thinking about what they carry around, but not witches. No, they learn how to reach deep inside their very being and use all that power they have in their souls' she descended down next to Creide. 'It makes them very dangerous, even if I doubt any of them knows how to use their soul to full capacity, but then again the stronger a witch is the more vulnerable that shiny little soul is' she smiled and reached out to put her hand on Creide's head. 'Especially if someone knows how to tear at it when it's so close to the surface.' She grabbed a handful from the witch's black and grey hair. 'And no one knows witches better than I' she added while pulling up Creide's head a little. 'So you will tell me what I want to know eventually you insignificant little bitch!' she let her hair go and stood back up.

Creide moved to look up at her and was probably ready to insult her again the way a small smile appeared on her pained face.

'Think before you speak Creide' Morrígan warned before the witch could get a word out. 'Do not make me get your son.'

Creide stayed silent, Dean kept his eyes on her. He wanted to get close and help her up, but his chains still held him in place and pulling at them only caused his wrists to bleed more.

'This one's all spirited' the demon chuckled and Dean turned and saw how his eyes were still locked on him. 'Looks so... breakable' he smiled. 'I do know how I could spend some time looking at such stormy eyes.' Dean kept his eyes on the demon, not shifting his gaze away, but staring openly, not backing off from a threat, he saw nothing but cruel amusement on the demon's face and his eyes promised only pain.

'I need him alive' Morrígan told him.

'Oh I could make sure he stays that way, I can be really careful' the demon smiled again, this time widely enough that his teeth showed.

'No' the goddess told him sternly.

'I don't serve you' the demon remarked and he took a step towards Dean.

'Alastair!' she thundered, it was the first time she raised her voice and Dean could feel her presence filling up the space around them, how power was radiating from her delicate frame. 'You may not serve me, but you will do as Leomas ordered!' the demon stopped and glanced back at the goddess, his smile only widening.

'Oh, but of course' he said, but his tone sounded playful and dangerous. Morrígan turned and left without another word. Alastair turned back to look at Dean one more time. 'See you later boy' he grinned and he too stepped out of the cell shutting and lucking up the heavy door.

x~x~x


	16. Chapter 16

 

'What do ye mean you can't get them out?' Patrick asked, almost yelled.

'I mean that I can't cross the wards so I can't get inside' Gabriel answered him, his voice sounded calm, didn't betray any emotion.

“Horseshit' Patrick answered and Gabriel turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing.

'What?'

'I know enough about archangels, Ma told me all I need to know. Even one of ye would be able to break this world apart and now yer telling me ye are stopped by a few wards? That  Sir “There are only five beings in creation who wield a greater power I” can't tear down a few walls?! That's horseshit!'

'You should know that magic does not work that way' Gabriel answered.

'No, don't ye dare tell me that ye wouldn't be able to do it!' Patrick snapped at him. 'That some wards can keep ye out of a room when ye could destroy the whole land in a blink! Why won't ye do it?! Why don't ye get them out of there?!'

'I can't do it within my current limits' the archangel told him. Patrick looked at him for a long moment before understanding lighted up his face then it quickly morphed into anger.

'So ye could do it, but ye won't. Ye don't want Heaven to see ye... ye would have to use only an edge of yer true power... but ye won't!

'The wards are strong, it would have to be more than an edge, my brothers would most likely know where I am immediately.'

'So ye just gonna leave them there?' Patrick asked. 'Because there's a risk? Ye can't just... please dammit! We've done nothing but helped you, help us now!' Gabriel looked down at the table, putting his hands down. 'Gabriel... please... they're my only family... ye can't let them rot in the hands of those gods! Please!'

'If there is a way in, I will find it' Gabriel answered.

'Ye mean anything besides using your true power' Patrick said bitterly.

'I... can't do that' the angel answered quietly.

'Oh fuck you!' the young witch spat. There was a heavy silence between them, but Gabriel didn't react at the harsh words. 'Then just take me up there, I'll go in myself.'

'Like you stand a chance when Creide and Dean couldn't hold their own' the angel told him. 'You would only be captured or killed yourself and I might need your help when I can come up with something.'

'Ye expect me to do nothing?!' the young man shouted.

'I expect you to keep your head clear and think, being angry with me won't get your Mother and Dean back.'

Patrick glared at him for long moments, crossing his arms over his chest. Then he took a deep breath closing his eyes, his jaw clenched in anger but he stepped back to the table.

'Ye better find a way in quickly' he said sternly.

x~x~x

Creide didn't move from the cold floor for a very long time. Her breathing didn't even out completely and the violent shaking in her body only subdued to a light tremble that Dean could still see from the other side of the cell. He tugged at his chains more than once not caring about the sharp pain it caused, but he couldn't break free no matter how much he wanted to help the witch to get up. He was forced to watch helplessly as she struggled up to all fours after a while and crawled closer to the wall where she could find leverage to get into a sitting position.

'Creide? Talk to me... how are you feeling?' he knew it was a dumb question because it was obvious that the witch didn't feel well at all, but he had to know if it was as bad as it looked.

'Like there's a reaper perching on my shoulder' she answered, then she clutched at her chest barely silencing a pained groan and Dean watched in dread as her hair turned even whiter and even deeper wrinkles appeared on her pale face.

'Creide!' he called out, the metal shackles bit into his wrist again as he reflexively tried to move closer even if he knew he couldn't.

'Stop hurting yourself Deandalon, stay still' Creide told him.

'Don't care about me, what's happening to you?' he asked.

'Morrígan was telling the truth' Creide said quietly. 'She knows way too well how old witches work... how we link our bodies to our immortal souls making it unchanging and undying... how we use that power... the second I saw her on the side of Leomas I knew I lost my fight...'

'What did she do to you?' Dean asked, fearing the answer but talking anyway. Creide stayed silent for long moments breathing hardly as her back leaned to the cold stones of the wall. She looked even older now.

'She cut the strings' she said then, her voice only above a whisper. Dean stayed silent for a moment thinking over the words, but then he had to ask.

'What do you mean?'

'It means that I need to use all my power to keep my soul from moving on.'

'She's forcing your soul out of you?' Dean asked. Horrified by the very thought and suddenly even more afraid for Creide, but the witch shook her head.

'No, my soul was meant to go... a long time ago, she just cut the strings that were keeping it here...'

'But you can... heal the damage, right? You made those strings yourself!' Dean hurried to ask, because the other option was not something he wanted to think about. To his relief Creide nodded.

'Just... right now it takes everything to keep it here...' she said in a strained voice. 'And it will take a lot of time... and Morrígan won't give me enough of that.'

'We'll get out of here, just hold on' Dean told her. When Gabriel told him his soul was his most precious gift he didn't believe it. Now even if it wasn't about his own he felt it was the most valuable thing he could think of as he watched how Creide struggled to keep it... to stay alive.

'Lot of things on Earth don't have souls' he said. 'Would it really harm you if you let it go?' he questioned, thoughts rushing in his mind to look for what to do next.

'I don't know if humans can live without their souls or not... I surely can't.'

'Are you sure?'

'I am old Deandalon... very old... it's unnatural, the power of my soul keeps my body ageless and immortal if it's gone...' she didn't continue but Dean understood what she meant to say loud and clearly. And the way Creide looked like she aged decades in a few days made suddenly sense to him as well.

'Then don't you dare let go of that thing' he told her and that made a small smile appear on Creide's old and pained face.

They stayed silent for a very long time, Dean thinking furiously of a way out, but he was chained and Creide had to focus her power on staying alive. His mind wandered to Gabriel immediately and he was almost surprised by the sudden clench of worry he felt in his chest. Gabriel vanished in the piercing white light probably done by the symbol or spell he saw next to Leomas. He had no idea what that might've done to the angel, whether he was fine or not.

Leomas obviously knew about Gabriel, Dean was sure that the angel's façade was perfect, that there was no possible way that the gods saw through his disguise and recognized his angelic self under skin and flesh, but somehow Leomas knew... it was worrying. The only thing he could think about was that if Gabriel was fine he would come for him... surely he would. The fact that even after so much time passed they were still trapped here filled him with unease, not sure he wanted to think about any other reason the angel would stay away besides being injured or effected by the spell Leomas used.

However it was not like Dean to wait to be rescued, he couldn't break his shackles, but the metal got slippery from his blood, maybe he could grab his own hand and dislocate some bones, he could maybe pull them free then. It would hurt, would tear a lot of skin down and he wouldn't be able to use his hands for a while, but he could surely heal it afterwards. The bones in his hand were thin enough and maybe he wouldn't even need to break any of them to do this, the mere thought of that possibility filled him with an unpleasant feeling, but he didn't have any other plan. Even if he didn't know whether this was going to work at all.

He took a deep breath to brace himself, but the sound of the lock turning in the door made him stop. He was holding his breath and hoped it wouldn't be Morrígan stepping through the door again.

It was Pillan and Dean felt as his blood ran cold at the sight of the thunder god, and he was alone too. Morrígan might've said that she needed Dean alive for whatever reason, but she was not there, no one was there to stop the deity. Pillan shut the door behind him gently, it clicked to place almost soundlessly and that small gesture made Dean's eyes narrow. The god paid attention to be silent.

'What do you want?' he growled.

'Keep your voice down you imbecile' Pillan snapped at him, but he was whispering through his teeth. He looked exactly like Dean last saw him, black slacks, heavy boots and his black skin was uncovered from the waist up nothing but his heavy golden jewels were around his neck, wide bracelets on his upper-arms, thick rings pierced through his ears, and one wide golden belt around his waist. He was still intimidatingly tall, the tallest god Dean has ever seen  - including Kovas and Gygaie – he had at least nine or ten inches on Dean and he was not remotely small, Gabriel would look like a wood elf next to the thunder god.

'Why should I?' he asked. 'So you can kill me without Morrígan noticing it?'

'I'm here to get you out of here you idiotic little earthworm' the god hissed through his teeth. That managed to render Dean speechless for a moment.

'You wanted to kill me, and now you're telling me you want to help? Really?' he asked.

'Hush, Deandalon' Creide spoke up. 'There is a way out?' she asked looking up at the god.

'Not for me' the god answered. 'Leomas sensed my hesitance and Morrígan bound me' he answered. 'You are also bound by her' he said a moment later.

'Oh I know there is no escaping her claws for me' Creide answered matter of factly.

'What is going on?' Dean asked in confusion.

'I am a prisoner, like you are' Pillan answered in his deep thundering voice. 'I cannot leave the fort, but you are not bound by Morrígan's magic so I will take you out and you will go and tell my old friend the mighty Taranis that Leomas slaughtered all the gods of Eryri.'

'Everyone?' Dean asked, because Creide said some of them left, but Pillan nodded.

'Everyone but me' he said. 'I don't think I will live another full moon either. Leaving the fate of our revenge in the hands of someone like you leaves a foul taste in my mouth, but only you can get out so I will have to trust you to bring my massage to the other gods.'

'Fine, then get me out of these chains' Dean told him. Pillan walked over to him in two long steps without another word and reached for the shackles, but his hands stopped mid-air.

'Oh, curse you Morrígan' he murmured and dropped his hands.

'What?' Dean asked turning his head up to look at the god.

'I did not think she would use such a powerful spell to chain you, you are but a half-bread yet this spell could even hold me in place' he growled in frustration as he stepped back.

'So you can't get me out?' he asked.

'No' the god answered, his brows furrowed and deep in thought.

'Are you sure you can take Deandalon out?' asked Creide. Pillan turned towards her.

'Yes, I am certain' the thunder god answered. Creide looked at him then she shifted her dark eyes on Dean, a moment later she reached out to hold onto a bigger stone on the wall and started push herself up to her feet.

'Creide! Save your strength' Dean told her.

'Nothing to save for' she answered as she stood up and started walking across the room with unsteady but determined steps.

'No, what do you mean? Creide?' she only stopped when she reached the wall and could lean to it right next to Dean.

'I break your chains' she said.

'You said you can't' Dean replied.

'Not completely true' she answered. 'Just hoped there would be another way not involving me doing this.'

'Wait-wait! You have to focus on your soul, to keep it here, you have enough power to do both now? Are you rested enough?'

'Not at all Deandalon' she said and Dean looked at her in confusion before the answer hit him with a force of a comet.

'Then no!' he said fiercely.

'We either all rot here till our dying day or ye get out, get some help and make these two choke on their own blood when you return!' she said in absolute conviction.

'We can wait! G... Loki will get us out of here!'

'Someone with his power would've done it already if he could have or wanted to' the witch told him.

'No, Creide...'

'Listen to me Deandalon' she spoke quietly. 'I've been here on this Earth... for many centuries, it was a long road already.'

'Patrick is waiting for you' the demigod said.

'There is a door in my house... Loki will see it if he looks for it, what is behind that door... Patrick must have it, ye understand me? No matter what, he has to have it, make sure it happens.'

'Creide... this is insane, don't...'

'I did much wrong but ye never asked about my past, I was always grateful for that... watch out for my boy if ye can.'

'No!' Dean protested, shouted. Creide raised her hands and put both of them on the iron shackles bounding Dean's wrists. The demigod wanted to squirm away, rip the chains out of her small white hands, but couldn't. Creide had her black eyes closed tightly and Dean felt a warmth seeping into the metal even if he didn't pay attention to anything at all he just kept telling Creide over and over again to stop.

The shackles snapped open with a crack the chains falling away freeing Dean's hands in time to catch Creide as her body crumbled to the floor like a rag doll.

'Creide!' Dean called, but she didn't answer. Her hair was turning even more grey and white, her skin was loosing color. She was not breathing, not moving, was just a lifeless weight. The wrinkles on her skin deepened further, her skin got thinner, stretching over bones, her light body was starting to loose all weight until the skin looked like dry paper, darkening, crumbling, breaking apart, dark yellow bones showing as all flesh dried and disappeared until she simply shattered in Dean's arms, nothing remaining but a pile of dust and some scattered bones...

Dean's breath was coming in short breaths and his eyes were burning, tears threatening to fall.  She was gone, so simply, so quickly... almost no trace left behind. He shut his eyes tightly, swallowing back the pain clawing his chest and he would've stayed there kneeling on the ground for a very long time but a heavy hand landing on his shoulder snapped his attention back to reality.

'We must go, or you won't ever get out of here' Pillan said, but Dean looked back at the pile of dust, even the bones were gone now... he couldn't just leave like this. Leave her remains in a dirty dungeon, like some dreck on the floor. 'If we don't leave now your friend died for nothing Deandalon, come... now' Pillan urged and grabbed his shoulder to drag him to his feet and the demigod could do nothing but let himself be pulled out of the cell. The heavy door clicking closed behind them with a small cold sound.

x~x~x


	17. Chapter 17

 

Dean didn't pay too much attention to the dark corridors they passed by for long moments still dazed and maybe even shaken from the fresh image of Creide's body crumbling to dust, but the god kept pulling him, dragging him along, urging him to hurry as there was not much time for him to cross the walls undetected.

He got a hold of his body eventually, finally making his legs work properly instead of just dragging himself. Pillan didn't let go of his upper-arm for a second and Dean didn't have time to properly think about the bizarreness of the help of the god who wanted him dead not that long ago.

His mind was spinning around what to do once he was out, how he had to find Gabriel and go back to the valley first... and Patrick... dear stars on the sky he had to tell Patrick.

'Oh well isn't this disappointing?' the voice made both Dean and Pillan stop and spin around and the demigod felt like the air froze around them as Leomas was standing a few feet away in the corridor. With his light clothes looking pristine as always he looked unnatural standing in the dim-lit hallway. He had a neutral expression on his face, but Dean could always see the boundless, bald desire of destruction in them, like he wished to break and burn down everyone he laid eyes on. It never matched his kind-face, almost gentle, young looking, without hard edges or scars, framed with brown hair that had only a hint of red in it. He was a contradiction, always. The nonchalance didn't fool Dean for a moment, he saw this god kill with a soft smile on his face, his calm was no reassurance.

Pillan turned towards him entirely.

'Out of all the gods Pillan... I would've expected you to be the last to disobey me.'

'I don't serve you Leomas... not anymore' Pillan thundered. 'Not after all that filth was welcomed here, not after you threw our servants to them like bones to wild dogs. Not after all the blood you shed among these walls.'

'Maybe that blood should've been your warning Pillan' Leomas answered calmly.

'Deandalon, follow this corridor it will take you outside' the thunder god said, his fists already closed, his body tight with tension as he locked his eyes on the other god standing before them. 'Run!'

Dean didn't have to be told twice and the moment Pillan lounged forward the demigod spun around and started running as fast as he could. He could feel the power in the air and no matter how much taller Pillan was or how much stronger he looked Dean knew Leomas was just as powerful or even more so. He heard the crack of lightning as the air filled with electricity making every hair on his body stand up, it was not the same he came to associate with Gabriel, this was raw and wild power unleashing behind him.

Then he heard the horrible deep roar of pain and he knew it was Pillan and he knew it was foolish but he glanced back. The god was burning, igniting from the inside out, his black skin glowing with red and orange heat. Both of his large hands were gripping Leomas' arm that was reaching out to him, fingers wrapped around the thunder god's throat. Skin was darkening to coal and then the roar died as flames erupted from him finally, the golden jewels boiling into his skin, dripping to the stone floor. Then Leomas let go of him and the giant body slumped to the floor, still intact but burning with heavy flames. Leomas looked at him for a moment before his eyes snapped up to Dean.

The next moment was a blur and Dean found himself pushed face-first to a wall.

'You are really starting to infuriate me Deandalon' Leomas said in a low clipped tone as he gripped his arm and put another hand on his spine to keep him in place.

'Die and rot you spiney bastard' Dean told him. The god's grip got stronger as he pushed his entire body closer. He was a burning presence, barely restricted anger radiating from him.

'Is this any way to talk to me... Dean' he warned slowly, his voice a hiss.

'Kill me or let go' Dean answered, keeping his voice steady despite the way fear gripped his heart the second he felt the god closing in to him. Leomas chuckled.

'Sadly you are still more valuable alive' the god said. 'But I will be rid of you soon enough.' He dragged Dean away from the wall, his grip never loosening up for a second. Pillan's body was still burning on the ground filling the air with the stench of burnt skin and flesh as they passed it by.

Leomas didn't take him back to the dungeon, and insanely he was glad for that for a second knowing he wouldn't be able to stand being trapped in with Creide's remains. It was tearing him up that she died to get him out of here and he was trapped again. The sound of voices got him out of his thoughts and he recognized Morrígan's voice before Leomas entered a larger room pulling Dean along with him, the stench of demons was too strong to ignore but he had no time to look around inside as with a strong tug Leomas tossed him to the floor, he could land rather good so even if it hurt he didn't hit himself that badly. Morrígan fell silent and Dean pushed himself up so that he could look up.

He froze, entirely. Unable to blink or speak for a moment as his body went cold.

'Puck?' he questioned as he looked at the faun standing in front of Morrígan. The sprite looked at him with a sympathetic look on his face and he took a deep breath.

'The witch is dead' Leomas spoke. 'And I had to kill Pillan too.' Morrígan's face darkened with anger again and she turned back to Puck.

'This is not what I requested' she said. 'He was not supposed to meddle, he was supposed to stay in the valley.' Puck stared back at her dispassionately.

'You get what you get' the sprite answered easily.

'Oh don't you dare--'

'Dare what?' Puck challenged crossing his arms. 'Threaten me all you want, we'll see which fairy will be willing to speak with you again if you go through with any of your threats.'

Morrígan still looked angry and her eyes narrowed dangerously but she stayed silent for a long moment.

'You were supposed to keep him in line' she said. 'I don't see how you succeeded.'

'No, you wanted me to keep him in line, but I only serve my king not you, so I only had to keep him alive. Beyond that...' he shrugged.

'Just get him out of my sight' Morrígan snapped angrily then she turned around and stormed away. Puck turned towards Dean and walked closer, the demigod wanted to get out of his way, but the look on the faun's face made him stop. It was practically screaming at him, willing him to cooperate. Puck crouched down next to him pulling him to his feet.

'C'mon let's get out of here' he whispered.

'Deandalon' Leomas once again was standing in front of him with a very strange but dangerous smile playing on his lips. 'Tell Gabriel I'm looking forward to seeing him... soon.'

Puck pulled on his arm before the demigod could reply. He recognized the feel of one of faun's portals as they slipped through and out of the dark hall.

x~x~x

He saw light, he felt the change in the air and he knew they were outside and somewhere lower not it the mountains anymore even if his eyes didn't adjust immediately, but he had no time to do anything or look around as he was grabbed tightly and was practically torn out of Puck's grip almost forcefully. It was astonishing how quickly he recognized the strong arm even before he turned his head to look.

'Gabriel' he said the name, it took nothing but a glance to see his own relief mirrored in those amber eyes for Dean to feel grounded again, safe again, only if a little. It didn't stop the chaotic emotions roaming inside of him nor the questions splitting his head apart.

'Puck you've been in with Morrígan?' he asked, not turning back towards the faun just yet, but he knew he was still there. 'This whole time?'

'Most definitely not' Puck answered. 'Listen kiddo... I'm sorry, this is above me.'

Dean turned around but didn't pull away from Gabriel, the archangel didn't seem like he wanted to pull his arm back from his lower-back either.

'What? What on Earth was that back there?' the demigod asked.

'Dean, I like you so I wish I could say something else but... Morrígan made a deal.'

'Deal?'

'With us' Puck continued. 'With Auberon.' and Dean didn't need to hear more because the fairies only ever dealt with one thing... firstborns.

'She sold me' Dean stated, no question.

'Don't take it too hard, it was done before you were born' the sprite told him.

'Then why am I still here?' the demigod asked. 'Why was I not dragged over... for whatever you do with the ones you take?!'

'Because the deal is not yet sealed, because the terms are set but the exchange has yet to take place' the faun answered. 'And I am stuck here until she finally decides to go through with it.'

'That's why you've been here? In the valley all my life? You've been keeping an eye on the stock?!' Dean's voice raised and finally the numbness he felt started to morph into anger.

'I've been keeping an eye on you, made sure you were alive and healthy... I was ordered here! It's not like I have a choice, I've been here for the past decades and the deal is still not done so I will have to stay until it is... but... dammit Dean that's why we should've gone through with the plan, I tried to help you with this! If Morrígan's dead, the deal is off and you're free, I'm free!'

'I don't care about the bloody plan!' Dean shouted. 'What you did changed nothing, it only got Creide killed!'

'I had to do something, because you forgot about it all!' Puck snapped back at him. 'I will get back home eventually, but if you don't care that I will have to hand you over to Auberon then fine! I won't care anymore either.'

'You won't hand him over to anyone' Gabriel spoke finally, he watched the exchange silently until this point but now his amber eyes locked warningly on Puck.

'A deal is a deal' the faun said.

'Do I look like I care?' Gabriel asked. 'Just try taking him, I will follow and trust me that there won't be much left from your world if I do.' Puck kept his eyes on Gabriel for a very long time.

'You're in hiding and you think you can face us all, face our king?' the faun asked.

'Get out of my sight before I bind you in iron and drop you to the bottom of the sea' Gabriel answered in a low tone, almost a growl and Dean felt how his power warmed the air around them. Puck stared at the archangel for another moment before his eyes shifted to Dean.

'You wanted Leomas dead, him and Morrígan have been forming their plans together for years now and if she dies, all of this is solved' Puck said before he vanished in a bright blue portal.

There was a long silence after Puck disappeared and Dean wanted to do nothing but bury his face in Gabriel's neck and hold onto him until he had all his roaming emotions under control again. But he couldn't do that.

'I have to go to Patrick' he said quietly, Gabriel nodded and the world shifted around them immediately, the small unknown clearing was replaced by the familiar sight of Creide's hut and approaching the door felt like one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his life. But he couldn't think of anything else, not Leomas, not Morrígan or the demons and the slaughtered gods, nor about the plans that were formed or the deal his Mother sealed over his fate. Now he had to tell a son that his Mother won't ever return to him.

x~x~x


	18. Chapter 18

 

'Where's Ma?' was the very first thing that left Patrick's mouth when Dean stepped into the house and the way the young witch's face crumbled a second later the demigod knew his expression gave the answer even before he had a chance to open his mouth.

'No' Patrick shook his head.

'I'm so sorry' Dean managed. Patrick kept shaking his head in disbelief.

'No, no, no' his breath got erratic in matter of seconds and without another word he stormed across the room and left. Dean took a deep breath as well pushing the heel of his hands into his eyes to make the burning go away.

'Won't you go after him?' Gabriel asked.

'Not yet, he... needs a little space' Dean wanted to say that the kid hated crying in front of him, but not like he had to explain such a thing to Gabriel, it didn't really matter. He finally pulled his hands away from his eyes and his chest got tight all over again when he saw his wrists, the wounds were deep, but the blood already dried, but it was dirty, he was completely dirty after the time he spent chained to that wall, but he knew what the dark thin layer of dust on his arms was dried together with his blood. His hands started to shake. He tried to sweep it off from his hands and forearms even if his wounds flared up with pain again at the hefty movements and how his fingers dug into his skin. He didn't pay attention to Gabriel until his hands were grabbed by him to stop him.

'Dean...'

'She's gone' he said. 'She fell apart... to dust, crumbled to nothing... she... I have to get this off me.'

'Fine, just slow down' Gabriel said, his voice calm and steady. Dean was guided until he sat down to one of the chairs, hands on his legs and he resisted the urge to try and get the dust off his skin. Dust... Creide... her last remains like dirt in his wounds, she did it to get him out of there, but it was for nothing. He was let go, he didn't understand it. Maybe the deal will soon take place or maybe he was just too insignificant to guard as he was no real threat to them after all.

'Dean' he didn't realize that he closed his eyes, but now when he opened them up again he was looking into Gabriel's face. The angel had a piece of wet cloth in his hand and was half-kneeling in front of him, the demigod was too tired to be surprised about it, nor about the way Gabriel started to clean out his wounds with the material. He stayed silent and Gabriel did too for a while. The damp cloth never actually got dirty for a second while the angel worked, but again Gabriel was really good at materializing at this point.

'I wish I could heal you' Gabriel said quietly as one of Dean's wrist was finally clean from dirt and... everything else. The wound red and angry on his skin, but not bleeding anymore.

'You can heal?' the god asked, he didn't know that.

'Much more that just heal, but... not you... I tried before when I thought I accidentally broke your rib, but it doesn't work. You're not human...' he shook his head as his face showed the first traces of distress, maybe even anger. 'Your body is not human, I can't heal you.'

'I'll be fine' Dean answered, it stung when Gabriel moved to the other wrist, but he didn't pull away.

'I need you to tell me everything that happened inside' Gabriel said then.

'Not now' Dean replied right away, seemed like the archangel wanted to argue, so he continued. 'I know I still have things to explain, but...'

'No, it can wait' Gabriel interrupted. 'You lost a close friend.'

'Or maybe two' Dean said and he did not want to think about Puck, not for a second. That bloody sprite... he taught him how to walk, he taught him everything dammit, his name was the first word he ever learnt to say, the one he went to when he was afraid as a child, and he would tell him how the spirits were strongest under the stars so in the dark he never has to be afraid... that bloody heartless sprite. He leaned forward until he could slide down from the chair and if Gabriel was surprised he didn't show he just let Dean crawl into his arms.

The angel radiated warmth, Dean felt his presence on his skin like the way the sun warmed him up on a summer day. He was there, he was solid and safe. Gabriel's arms wrapped around him, one hand stroking his back, over his spine slowly and reassuringly, the other hand just held him in place, but every fingertip was something to focus on, something to feel other than what threatened to make his heart bleed out. He let his head rest on the angel's shoulder, burying his face in his neck, breathing in his scent, close like he wanted to be the second he saw him, he had to be now. Just for a moment.

'Dean... I'm sorry.'

'Not your fault' Dean answered.

'No, I... was banished, by the time I could go back there was warding magic on the fort and I couldn't enter' Dean felt how Gabriel took a deep breath. 'I could've tried to tear down the walls but... it would've taken a lot of power to do so... and I... Dean I couldn't risk it... I just couldn't... I'm sorry.'

Dean stayed silent for long moments letting the words sink in entirely.

'Creide died to free me... I didn't want her to do it, I begged her not to do it... I did not want her sacrifice, I don't want yours either.'

Gabriel's arms tightened around him at the words, pulling him even closer than he was before.

'They let me go' Dean added. 'So it was for nothing in the end.'

'It was her choice Dean, no blame falls on you' Gabriel said.

'You don't know everything' the demigod answered.

'I know enough.' Dean doubted that, but he was not ready to speak of it just yet.

'I doesn't matter who's at fault' he said in the end. 'It won't change the fact that she's dead.'

'Who killed her?' Gabriel asked then and the answer stuck in Dean's throat for a moment... uncertainty, hesitance... shame?

'Morrígan' he said. The angel kissed his forehead and said nothing. 'Creide's a pile of dust on a dirty dungeon floor because of what she did to her. All the gods are dead, the fort is full of demons... I don't know what to do... I don't know what is happening, why the bloodshed, the deal, I don't know what Morrígan wanted from Creide she refused to give... I just wanted justice.'

'Justice?' Gabriel asked, Dean didn't see his face, but heard the surprise in his voice clearly. If he started to talk about that now he would have to explain everything.

'I should go to Patrick now' he said instead of answering pulling away from the angel, but Gabriel sealed his lips on his before he could stand up. It was a soft kiss, almost chaste, but the way the angel put his hand on the side of his neck holding him close it felt like more. Gentle reassurance in one simple gesture.

'I will not turn my back on you even if you did things I will not like to learn about' Gabriel said quietly when he drew back from the demigod. 'And I'm sure you have done nothing I will have a right to look down upon.'

Dean just nodded at him, and maybe he even believed him.

x~x~x

He found Patrick sitting down at the stream close to the hill and Dean's hideout. The witch always went there when he was upset and this time was no different. He was watching the quickly running water and the tiny silver fish swimming swiftly. Dean walked closer slowly, not sitting down next to him just yet.

'He could've saved her' Patrick said.

'Who?'

'Gabriel' the young witch snapped. 'He could've gotten inside if he really wanted to, but he didn't... if he...' he fell silent, anger and grief making his voice tremble. Dean sat down now, but stayed silent. 'We helped him... and he just let ye rot there!'

Dean knew Patrick had to be angry at someone, but Gabriel was not the right one to focus all that grievous fury at.

'You can't expect him to sacrifice everything for us' Dean told him.

'Sacrifice what? He's just hiding from his own family and Ma is dead because he doesn't want to see his brothers.'

'You heard about one of his older brothers more than enough... everyone has, you think the other two is better than the Morningstar?' Dean took a deep breath. 'But you have the right to be angry at any of us, all of us... what you feel right now? I can't make it better... I can tell you what happened, everything... and than you will know whom to be angry at. You can decide who was at fault yourself...'

'I told her I had enough of her still treating me like a child' Patrick spoke. 'That was the last thing I said to her...'

'And I bet she laughed at you gleefully' Dean said. Patrick nodded jerkily, his face darkening with pain again and he looked like he was fighting back tears, but he didn't cry. He looked back at the stream while taking long deep breaths and when he finally turned to look at Dean his face was determined.

'Tell me what happened' he asked. So Dean did.

x~x~x

It was already deep in the night when Dean finally had time to clean himself up and return to his hideout at the bottom of the hill, he was not surprised of Gabriel waiting for him and was grateful that the angel asked no questions just let him rest, sleep claimed him almost immediately he settled down even if it did not bring peace.

He woke up to a hand stroking his cheek and a voice calling his name, he was tired and not at all well slept but he managed to open his eyes after a while. He saw Gabriel when he could focus finally, the angel was sitting at the edge of Dean's bed instead lying next to him the way he was when Dean fell asleep.

'What is it?' Dean asked.

'Patrick's here' the angel answered and the demigod sat up. 'He wants to speak with you.'

Dean rubbed sleep out of his eyes as he slowly stood up, he didn't bother with boots or a shirt just started walking out in the thin trousers. Patrick was really silent after Dean finished telling him all that happened in the mountains. The god had no idea what might've gone through his head, he let him think everything through.

It was still dark outside and Patrick stood straight and sure a few feet away under the starlit sky. Dean walked closer to him, Gabriel followed closely behind.

'We will take revenge Deandalon' Patrick said as he turned his dark eyes towards Dean. 'My Mother wanted them to choke on their own blood and I will make sure it happens, and ye will join me, ye own that to her.'

'I want that Patrick, believe me' Dean told him. 'But we can't just storm them. Morrígan and Leomas are powerful on their own and they have demons there, we don't know how many. We would be running to our deaths... it doesn't mean I won't do anything' he quickly added. 'I will do what Pillan told me, seek out Taranis, he and the other great gods will...'

'No!' Patrick interrupted. 'We won't just run to some gods, won't bow to them, crawl to ask for their help! This is our home Deandalon, this is our fight, our revenge!'

It felt true as he listened to the words of the young witch, it _was_ true what he said the demigod knew.

'How?' he asked. 'I am willing to fight Patrick, but they will tear us to pieces.'

'I am here too' Gabriel said and Dean turned to look at him. 'Maybe I can't use all my powers, but I am still more than powerful enough to take on any god... and especially demons.'

'They have magic they can use against you' Dean said.

'I know, I didn't expect it before. They won't surprise me a second time.'

'The three of us?' Dean asked, his voice not as resisting as it was before. 'Leomas could have an entire demon legion ready for all we know, Morrígan has warriors she can summon, witches who answer her call. It's like an entire army. We can't do this on our own.'

'I told you Deandalon, this is our home, it's not just us who live here' Patrick said. Dean frowned, but his unasked question was answered when with a heavy breeze Ellil appeared before him. She was glowing in a silver light and Dean realized he never saw her during the night before. Her eyes were clear blue like the summer sky as she floated closer to the demigod.

'This land you welcomed us into has given us freedom Deandalon' she spoke. 'A home... and we are all ready to stand by your side against your enemies' Dean suspected that she was speaking on behalf of all the spirits of the valley as she was one of the oldest who lived here.

'You are no warriors Ellil, and there is not many of you' Dean told her, he didn't want to remind her that they were also not the strongest not even from all the spirits roaming the earth. The windspirit narrowed her azure eyes on him.

'You know why the gods chain us to their will, why they force us to servitude?' she asked. 'To use our power. To drain us until there is nothing left but shadows of our true beings that crawl away into the dark to slither away to nothing... this is your land and you have not used us... we grew strong... we let the wind, let the rivers carry the word that we found a place to rest, to live without a god using us as pawns... our brothers and sisters heard our whispers and came, one after another. And those who arrived, never left again.'

Dean felt as his eyes widened in surprise at that, new spirits showed up again and again, but they couldn't have all stayed.

'And like I said, you have not been using us Deandalon' Ellil whispered as she drew back from him a little. 'So we grew strong again.'

Her silver light started to darken to deep grey and blue as her form grew bigger before Dean's eyes. Her clear blue eyes darkened to the shade of the storm. And the gentle breeze that surrounded her morphed into the scent of rain as ligthtning blazed in her from the inside and she was wind still, but the wind of a storm.

Branches snapped loudly as treecrowns shifted, Dean turned to look and saw how the old spirits of the oaks climbed out from the deepest forests, their steps slow, but heavy approaching the clearing at the bottom of the hill.

His blood was rushing with adrenaline when the first wolf spirits whipped passed him, followed by one after another, animal spirits all in their ethereal bodies before landing and materializing on the grass and the sharp cliffs of the hill. The wolfs, the foxes, coyotes and wolverines dashed past him, mountain lions stood proudly on heavy stones above them. Giant eagles descended from the sky, and the nigthers of the stream approached as well in their delicate female forms, but with eyes colder than the deepest see.

He stared around in shock, there were too many spirits around them to count immediately and he had no idea so many still lived here, that the ones he didn't see again remained, were only just hidden from his eyes or he did not look close enough. Ellil shifted and thundered like a stormcloud, her eyes telling him that she meant every word she said before. Every spirit of the valley was standing in front of him, most of them looking much larger, darker and stronger then he remembered them to be, but the Moon was still up and spirits were always more powerful in the night and they grew strong in this insignificant little valley where they could rest, where no god used the power they gained from the life and the world surrounding them.

'Here's your own army Dean' Gabriel told him, Patrick stepped closer to stand by his side as well his face still hard with determination.

'Then there will be war' Deandalon said darkly and even if he did not shout, his quiet words washed through the clearing and the spirits reacted as one. The animals howled, shrilled, the ground shook under the roar of the oaks and all elementals. Dean felt how the markings on his skin darkened and spread out, but the first time in his life the magic did not react to his anger, but to the rush of blood he felt under his skin, the call of battle burning in every fiber of his body. There will be war.

x~x~x


	19. Chapter 19

 

'I had a brother' Dean started, he stared into the flames in the rough looking fireplace he made himself. Gabriel sat not that far away from him, silent and waiting for Dean to speak. There was only a few days left till full moon, the night the spirits were the strongest, the night they would march to the mountains and tear down the citadel of the now fallen gods of Eryri. There was no more time left for Dean to be silent. Gabriel may not have pushed him for answers, but the demand of truth was there in every glance of his amber eyes even without outspoken words.

'Not someone I actually knew' he continued. 'A human, a boy only a few years younger than me, the son of my father who was born in wedlock' he took a deep breath before continuing, he left out how he felt when he learnt that his father was a married man, not like he needed more to feel like a bastard kid that was to be ashamed of after the way his mother got rid of him, but it still felt like it made things worse.

'I told you I didn't know my father and that's true, by the time I learnt where to look for him he was gone, left his wife and son behind. I asked around in his hometown, but no one knew where he has gone, just that one dawn he joined the merchants traveling east to the main land or even further away.' He didn't let his eyes leave the yellow-orange flames of the fire that warmed his face, he knew Gabriel was listening he didn't need to look at him.

'Even so I was happy when I saw that boy and learnt that he was my brother' he continued. 'That maybe there will be someone who could be real family to me... but I didn't dare to go to him right away. Telling him that his father was disloyal, that he bedded a goddess on top of leaving his family' he shook his head. 'I watched him and there was enough weight on his shoulders already, he and his mother leading a hard life on their own.'

'I talked with him once' he continued after a pause. 'He was working for some merchants on the market and he almost got buried under a few bags of wheat by accident. I helped him, talked with him... wasn't ready to tell him who I was, but decided that I will go back to their town again when I headed back to the valley.'

'A few weeks later when I finally did they were dead, both of them' he said. 'Bled out and offered up to Leomas' he finally turned his head to look at the archangel. 'And the thing was that him I knew for years, the first god I met who was not spitting degrading insults in my face... I was furious at him, it didn't end well. He didn't kill me though, now I know why even if I didn't back then, but one thing I knew, what everyone knew... that you either bowed down to Leomas or you died... all gods bowed, I came home and hoped to be just insignificant enough to not have his attention on me any longer.'

'What sort of a god is he?' Gabriel asked, speaking for the first time in a long time.

'He's a fire god' Dean told him watching the dancing orange flames in the fireplace again. Gabriel didn't comment on the answer the demigod gave him. They were silent for long moments listening to the sound of the crackling fire.

'There is something you have to tell me' the archangel stated then and Dean had to take a steadying breath at his words, because he did not look forward to speak of this.

'Puck told me one day that hiding and hoping won't save our arses when Leomas decides that we all have to serve him, I agreed. We were looking and trying to come up with a solution, any solution... and then you descended from the sky, out of nowhere, like the answer, the key to end everything I feared.'

Dean could practically feel the angel's eyes on him and he didn't have to look to know that Gabriel was more focused on his words than before.

'First I was truly just curious, but sensing your power...' he stopped. 'I couldn't help thinking about how you could help me' he turned towards the angel because he had to look at him, had to show his face so that Gabriel could see that his words were nothing but the truth. 'I wanted to befriend you, get you on my side before you knew what the sides were at all... and then you asked my help to hide, listened to my words and put way more trust in me than you should have.' Gabriel's eyes narrowed at the last words. 'Posing as a god was not the only way for you' Dean added quietly. The archangel stayed silent for a moment.

'But you and Creide both agreed that it was, was she...'

'I said it was the only way, she just didn't start arguing with me in front of you. She knew me well, so she followed my lead.' Gabriel looked at him for another moment until the words completely sank in then he got to his feet. Dean noticed the tense set of his shoulders, he was getting agitated.

'Why? Why make me a god?' he asked.

'It was the simplest way to have you among the gods sooner or later and teaching you gave me time and opportunity to... get you close enough to me so that when it came down to it you would kill Leomas and any other god I wanted to get rid of.'

'You wanted a weapon' Gabriel concluded, it sounded crude and harsh the way the angel said it.

'In a way' Dean agreed with a light nod, stupidly grateful that he didn't have to look the angel in the eye as he was still turned away from him.

'You do realize that the spell that hides most of my power tainted my grace beyond repair' Gabriel spoke slowly and quietly but the edge of true anger was loud and clear in Dean's ears and when the archangel swiftly turned around the demigod had to look in the amber eyes locking on him, he was unable to turn away from the dark storm that was swirling in the golden depths. 'That I had to kill my vessel, a man who has offered himself up to me in good faith and loyal devotion, that I forced his soul out of his own body that I stained with bloodmagic, that I...' Gabriel stopped, shifted his eyes away and closed them. He took a deep breath obviously trying to keep his calm as his voice started to rise with each word that left his mouth. 'And for what?' he asked as he opened his eyes and looked at Dean again. 'So that I slay the enemies you are too weak to kill? I thought you knew who I was Deandalon, yet you thought you would need such deceit to get me to shed blood?' the angel's voice lowered and the anger vanished, or just Dean didn't hear it anymore, because for him it sounded nothing but cold and dangerous now, he also didn't like the way his full name rolled off the angel's tongue.

'Well I wanted to make sure I decided whose blood you shed' Dean answered honestly. Gabriel stared at him, his face all hard lines and eyes still storming with traces of anger. He stayed silent though, so did Dean.

'Did you lie to me?' Gabriel asked then, his voice not quite as cold as it was before.

'About what?' Dean asked and realized it was the wrong answer when Gabriel's jaw clenched.

'So you did' he concluded.

'I was honest about a lot of things, most things' Dean said quickly, but the angel shook his head lightly as he turned away again, the demigod got to his feet immediately, reaching out and grabbing Gabriel's upper-arm to get him to look at him again.

'I wasn't lying about... us' he said, not exactly knowing how to form his words smoothly the way he usually did. Gabriel let himself be turned, but he didn't look at Dean again. 'Puck was getting angry with me as I stopped working on how to get you to do what I wanted, because I simply liked being close to you... I wasn't lying about that' he repeated.

'Why should I believe a single word that comes out of your mouth Dean?' Gabriel asked. 'Now or ever again?' the demigod looked at him and his fingers were tightening around the angel's arm, feeling like any second now he will be gone...

'Because I want you... don't you want me the same?' he asked even if his chest tightened, fearing the answer he might get. Gabriel tensed.

'Dean...'

'I care for you, don't you care for me the same?' he asked next, repeating the angel's words in his own way, Gabriel shut his eyes again, but he didn't pull away. Dean felt a sliver of hope even if his chest tightened almost painfully as he knew what his next words would be.

'I love you... don't you love me the same?' Gabriel's eyes opened at the words spoken in an almost whisper. Dean's fingers were digging into his arms and the god tried to get his heavy beating heart under control. 'I wanted justice, I wanted safety, I wanted to live in peace, for once in my life I thought I had something that would make me victorious instead of being stomped in the dirt... I wanted to use you like a weapon in my hand, but I stopped thinking about any of it the second I could kiss you, Gabriel... I'm not lying... please just...'

'I don't know whether I should be angrier at you or my own stupidity' Gabriel said in an even tone. 'I saw you were not a dark, evil creature of this world, should not have assumed that it made you good or honest, but you're right, that was just my misplaced trust. Seems like I was just desperate enough to be easily misled.'

'I followed my own agenda and I know this may be something you are not willing to forgive, but...'

'Well you're not making that any easier' Gabriel cut him off, snapped almost angrily. His amber eyes were still locked at some random spot in the room and not Dean.

'What?' asked the demigod in confusion. Gabriel pulled his arm out of Dean's grasp as he turned and stepped him aside, facing the fireplace.

'As you are not even asking for it' the angel said quietly. Dean looked at him for long moments, how the orange flames lighted up his face and made his hair look like burning, glowing gold. His words didn't clear Dean's confusion right away, but then it suddenly hit him. Ask for... forgiveness.

He stepped closer to the angel only hesitating for a moment before reaching out. He let his hand trail down Gabriel's spine a bit before he closed the distance even more, his hand traveling up to the angel's shoulder, then stroking down his arm while he stepped close enough that his chest was almost touching the archangel's back.

'Forgive me' he asked him quietly. 'Forgive my lies, forgive my deceit, forgive me that I stayed silent for this long.' His entire body was tense as the words left his mouth, his hand staying still on Gabriel's right arm and even thought he was close enough to feel the warmth of the angel's body he didn't dare to move closer, closing the distance between them, to lean his head to his, to bury his nose in his hair and just breath.

When he felt Gabriel's left hand covering his on the angel's arm relief made him let out a shuddering breath he didn't know he held.

'I forgive you' the angel said in the same strange tone he repeated Dean's casual phrases, quiet and with a whisper of uncertainty in it, like it was the very first time he ever uttered these words and they felt too unfamiliar to be said with ease. The demigod finally closed the tiny distance that was between them, raising his other arm too to wrap it around the angel's torso. His chest pressed firmly to Gabriel's back, his cheek at his temple until he turned to put a kiss on the edge of his hair, only a long and steady touch of lips. He stayed like that for minutes, just being close, just letting the warm relief wash over him as he could be close, that he was not pushed away like he expected to be.

'I love you, do you love me the same?' he asked again as he didn't get an answer before, there was one moment – that felt like eternity – when the angel stayed silent.

'Yes Dean' he said then. 'I feel like I do.'

It may have not been said with complete conviction, but it was enough for Dean, more than enough. He let his hold ease up on Gabriel but only until he could circle the angel with a step to be in front of him. The angel kissed him before he could hesitate.

Their kiss was slow and deep and Dean felt like he had to pour everything he felt into it, he usually didn't get a second chance if something went wrong and more than ever he was grateful that he got one now. His hand slid into the soft honey-brown hair as Gabriel tilted his head up and Dean had to trace his other hand along his jaw and stroke down his neck. When Gabriel finally reached out to him and wrapped an arm around his waist Dean felt the last traces of tension slip away from him.

He didn't want to stop kissing his lips for a second and he didn't want to let go either, he kept his body flush against the angel's. Then Gabriel's other arm came up and landed on the back of his thigh and Dean felt as the angel moved, pushing him backwards while practically pulling one of his legs out from under him. He lost his balance and instinctively grabbed on to Gabriel more, he didn't fell down, the angel descended to the floor slowly, easily laying him down in the process, holding him up even with one arm as he weighted nothing. The balance of the harsh movement and the almost gentle way he held him close to his own body while lowering both of them down made Dean's body hum with contentment and the need of feeling more.

He was surprised for a moment when he felt softness under his back since he didn't have any fur or blankets before the fireplace, but he didn't pay attention only to the feel of the archangel's body descending on his, their lips still sealed together in a kiss. His body craved the touch he feared he won't ever feel again. Dean pulled the archangel even closer while moving his legs to let Gabriel settle between them. Then Gabriel pulled his lips away and before Dean could lean up to capture them again or pull him down close, the angel put a hand on his collarbones, right below his throat keeping him in place and leveled him with a look.

'Don't ever lie to me again' he said slowly, his voice an odd mixture of a plea and a threat.

'Never again' Dean told him and he meant it, he wanted nothing but to have someone he will not have to betray and who will not betray him. Gabriel looked at him for another moment before kissing him again. He let out a small surprised sound when air hit his skin and he opened his eyes just in time to see how both his and Gabriel's clothes were whispering away into nothing, like the materials were soft sand that even the smallest breeze could blow away. It tingled his skin from neck to toe and he smiled up at the angel a little.

Gabriel kissed away his smile then let his lips wander. The feel of the wet slide of Gabriel's mouth descending to his neck made goosebumps appear on his entire body as a shiver of excitement went over him. The angel didn't stop there, but continued to map out his skin and Dean leaned his head back baring his throat, he hissed out a pleased breath as the angel bit down gently on his offered flesh. Fingers roamed his naked chest and Dean couldn't keep his hands to himself either. One hand buried in the gold-brown locks, the other digging into the muscles on the angel's back, Gabriel's body hovered slightly above him and Dean wanted to be skin to skin, but the angel didn't allow to be pulled down. Another small bite – this time to the other side of his neck – made him stop trying as he gave control over to Gabriel completely. Noticing the change right away the archangel let out a low satisfied hum as he rolled his hips down to Dean's. The demigod pushed up his hips in response, making the touch stronger and not even trying to silence the moan leaving his lips.

He was greedy for the touches after days of pain and sorrow, he wanted to bath in the angel's warmth. His hands were roaming Gabriel's back as they kissed and he didn't care how needy he sounded when the archangel finally started to move his hips a little, pressing their groins together just the right way, feeling the angel's arousal made his own lust flare up even more bringing him to full hardness. He kissed the angel's jaw then every other inch of skin he could reach while Gabriel too showered him in the touch of his lips, but as his skin heated up by the want burning in his veins he knew he wanted more, and he wanted it immediately.

He pushed his hips up again while trying to pull the angel closer.

'Gabriel' he breathed quietly. 'I want to feel you.'

'Yes' the angel responded and pulled away a little. Dean almost let out a displeased noise, but his brain caught up with what Gabriel wanted and he turned around at the first touch on his arm. Gabriel kissed the back of his neck then slowly slid his lips down his spine while both of his hands slid down his back digging into his muscles all the way from his shoulders to the small of his back. Dean let out a pleased moan at the feel of it, how almost possessive it seemed. Gabriel put open mouthed kisses on his back, tracing the edges of the protection ward seared into his skin on his nape and between and over his shoulder blades. His right hand descended lower, following the curve of his ass before spreading his fingers to grab at it tightly then moving to slide down right to his opening. Gabriel's mouth was on Dean's shoulder and he made a small trail of bites on his skin following the line of muscle until he reached his neck, there he opened his mouth more and sucked the flesh between his lips just as a now slick finger slid into him.

Dean moaned not restraining his voice as the finger got deeper and deeper and he might've pushed into it a little, but soon Gabriel's free hand grabbed his hips and stilled him. It was strange to just lie almost passively, every other time he was happy to explore the archangel's body with his hands and his mouth, make him lie back and watch how he climbed up to the heights of pleasure from the way Dean touched him, stroked him, licked and sucked at his flesh, how he rode him while in search for his own release. This time everything in the angel told him that he had to give up control, that his lover needed to let him bend his body to his will, show that he was ready to let go and give everything the angel wanted from him. And he was ready, he wanted nothing more but to be taken apart by the angel's hands, to be consumed by his light and warmth.

He groaned loudly as the second finger slid inside of him, the stretch of muscle a delicious pain that just made him even harder, more eager to be taken by his angel. Then Gabriel reached that spot inside of him, pushing his fingers down and all of Dean's muscles clenched in pleasure as he let out a throaty moan. Gabriel did not need long weeks to learn his body, he already played it like an instrument that was attuned just to him and him alone.

'More Gabriel, I want you' he said out loud between his heavy breaths as he couldn't move with the angel holding him in place so effortlessly. Gabriel slid in a third finger in response, almost all the way in one push, giving him what he asked for, and he only felt a second of pain before it morphed to pleasure as the angel stroked down onto the bundle again that made Dean's body light up with delicious fire, his skin tight from the heat burning underneath it.

He moaned and panted as the angel moved his fingers in and out of his body, sometimes spreading them a little or twisting just the right way for pleasure to rip through him and in mere minutes he lost all form of coherency, even his thoughts were nothing but a litany of the angel's name and his words of want. Then the fingers were gone suddenly, but the demigod didn't have time to vocal his displeasure about the emptiness, as he felt the head of Gabriel's prick pushing into him past the tight ring of muscle. His hands tightened in the soft fur under his fingers as he moaned the angel's name almost inarticulately.

Gabriel grabbed each of his wrists with his hands and pinned them down next to his head as he slowly pushed in all the way, his length spreading Dean open as his body took him greedily. Once he was buried deeply as far as he could go he stopped for a few moments, his breath coming in short gasps just as Dean's, his skin just as hot and sweaty as the demigod's. He put a kiss on the side of Dean's neck where he sucked a red mark into his skin before, then he started to move.

The first few thrusts slow and deep, he pulled almost all the way out before pushing back in and Dean answered with long deep moans every time he was filled up again. Gabriel didn't stay slow for long though. The first time he slammed back into Dean's body with force made the demigod lose the rest of his mind's clarity as his body screamed in pleasure.

Gabriel pounded into him as Dean moaned out his pleas for more, he was close, he felt it. His own hard member only getting the lightest of friction from the soft fur under them and he couldn't reach down as both his hands were held in place in Gabriel's grip, but he didn't mind, he wanted this to last as long as possible. He raised his hips up from the ground as much as he could his legs spreading wider on their own accord and the slight change of angle was perfect, he howled and groaned and repeated yes over and over again as the angel was hitting just the right spot now with every sharp, hard thrust. He heard that Gabriel was moaning as well, but he was too far gone to pay proper attention. It didn't take much longer and he was coming from the waves of pleasure washing over his body, untouched just from the feel of Gabriel inside of him, the way his hard length filled him up drove him over the edge. His body trashed in Gabriel's grip as his dick pulsed with his release, his muscles clenching down, tearing out a loud groan from the archangel still moving inside of him. Gabriel lost his rhythm already too, his thrusts were erratic until he too reached his climax, pushing in even deeper as he emptied himself into the tight wet heat of Dean's body.

Gabriel pulled out and rolled over, lying on his back next to Dean, the god slid closer to drape an arm over the angel's chest. Both of them were silent and just panting heavily for long moments, bathing in the after-glow without a word. Dean felt like he was ready to fall asleep next to the archangel in a second, his body tired and sated, his mind hazy and only clearing out slowly. He felt as his lips curled up into a small smile, because Gabriel has not been this untamed and fervent with him before, it was a novelty that made Dean's body shiver with sparks of lust even as completely spent as he was at the moment.

'Dean' the angel spoke.

'Hm?'

'Don't make me leave you' this time there was no edge of a threat in his voice, it was nothing but a plea.

'I won't' Dean replied, Gabriel turned his head and looked at him. He must've seen the truth in his eyes as he nodded after a moment and pulled closer so that they could rest in each others arms.

x~x~x


	20. Chapter 20

 

Dean tried everything to get Patrick to stay away, but the young man was adamant and the demigod gave up arguing with him after a while. He only managed to get him to stay with the spirits and no matter how much he argued about that Dean was just as stubborn in his decision as Patrick was in his own. Only he and Gabriel will get into the citadel to deal with Leomas and Morrígan and that was final. Gabriel told him that he can easily handle both gods but he had to get inside first and making that happen was up to Dean. He was worried that Leomas might banish Gabriel again, but the archangel reassured him that now that he knew about them he could get rid of any blood sigil from afar.

He watched the way the sun slowly disappeared on the horizon because there was nothing else to do but wait for the darkness, he could already see the full moon on the deep blue sky and he knew the night would be sharp and sudden, that everything will be covered in cold silver light very soon. It was the night of the Hunter's Moon and Dean felt it was fitting as there would be blood shed, plenty, and the moon dressing up in its red halo seemed like the right signal for their battle.

Gabriel was beside him, his body straight, his posture confident, in every inch the angel that descended from the skies, a warrior of Heaven. Patrick stood on his other side, his tension visible but his determination even more so. The witch put on a thick leather vest to serve him as armor and even if it would not protect him from demons it was something, he also had a longer seax in his belt, the weapon was among the things they found in Creide's house after Gabriel spotted the hidden trapdoor under the table. Gwydion's book was there and also a smaller book, a journal maybe, the demigod didn't ask. It was Patrick's heritage, his parents' knowledge and a seax, that was all he had left. Dean was dubious upon seeing the blade first, but Patrick told him he could wield it just fine, the demigod didn't argue with him, his own dagger was also tucked into his belt even if he didn't expect to have to use it.

'Do they know that we're coming?' Patrick asked. Gabriel looked up at the fort in the distance.

'Oh yes they do' the angel answered. 'I still can't see what's beyond the walls, but there is plenty of demonic presence around it, and something else as well, though I do not know it. Feels like spirits.'

'Morrígan's warriors' Dean supplied. 'She is known as the queen of battlefields for a reason, her phantoms are not to be underestimated.'

'We are not to be underestimated' Patrick told him.

'Well they know we have Gabriel with us so I doubt they take the threat lightly' Dean answered. It filled him with dread to think about the gods willing to fight even knowing that there was an archangel against them, it made him uneasy and he couldn't chase away the thought that there might be something in their hands that could be used against Gabriel. The angel told him that he was prepared unlike the last time so there was nothing to worry about, but Dean couldn't shake the feeling despite Gabriel's words.

The spirits were gathering around them as the sun disappeared, the light was fading away and the sky was painted in dark blue, purple and orange. The air was starting to get cold, but maybe it was just the way Dean felt. There were no more words to be said so they just waited. Dean didn't know whether to dread the night that was falling on them or cherish its arrival.

'Dean' he turned his head towards the angel upon hearing his name but he couldn't get a word out as his lips were captured in a soft kiss. He shut his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feel of Gabriel's warm lips on his own, savoring the taste of his angel. 'It's time' Gabriel said when they parted. Dean nodded then turned around to capture Ellil's storm-blue eyes and the wind spirit nodded back at him.

'Let's go' he said and the next second he felt the way Gabriel's presence extended around them, his muscles tensed, his senses sharpened because now they were only a second away to find themselves in the midst of the enemy.

x~x~x

Gabriel pulled everyone up to the top of the mountains along with him, the archangel arrived to the gates of the citadel with Dean and Patrick besides him and with the spirits behind them as a great flood of power, shapes and shadows.

'Watch your back, kid' Dean told the young witch before he and Gabriel disappeared again. Patrick didn't have time to worry about what would happen next because the spirits stormed the outer gates without pausing for a second. The young witch was glad that he did not have to lead them as they knew what they were there for. It was not a difficult task after all, they did not have any elaborate strategy, the plan was plain and simple: Get inside and destroy everything. Patrick watched the way the heavy wooden gates fell under the attack of the oaks with something close to awe, he knew the spirits on their side were powerful, but it was good to see the evidence of it in such a manner.

Once the gates were down Patrick and the non-ethereal spirits could march inside. They did not know how great their foe was, but it didn't stop any of them, the second Patrick passed the fallen gates he found himself mid-battle.

Morrígan's warriors looked human – for the most part – they were still flesh and blood and bone but they could not be called human anymore. Their skin looked too dark, scarred and hard like they were constantly out in the cold wind and icy cliffs, their eyes vicious, their armors worn, their swords and hatchets well-used and blood-stained, and there was no end to them inside the walls. The wolf spirits were the fastest to reach them, they dashed right in the midst of them. Iron clashed with sharp teeth and claws ready to strike. Blood soaked the grey stones in mere moments as the wolfs tore up throats, ripped arms out of their sockets, weapons fell as white teeth sank into hands. Bloodied bodies hit the ground as swords struck down, piercing hearts and lungs, axes made heads roll down to the dust.

Ellil lead the eagles down from the sky, her presence almost hid the moon away as she descended down as thunder, swiftly storming through the battle, taking warriors away with her, snatching up three or four at a time. The eagles followed her lead, their claws sinking into shoulders and flying up high in the sky before tossing down their prey to the deep darkness of the cliffs outside of the walls.

The nigthers slid through the midst of the battle just as easily as Ellil did, they were incorporeal spirits of water, no blade could harm them. Their touch was nothing but poison as they bared their teeth and sank into flesh, chocking, strangling whatever body they forced themselves into. Warriors fell to their knees coughing up nothing but blood and water before hitting the ground lifelessly.

Painful yowls of animals echoed among the walls when a group of warriors broke through the attack, sinking their blades into all spirits they could harm. Patrick pulled his weapon and strode towards them as he stood frozen for far too long already. The warriors might have been strong, but they were alive, they had a heart that was beating in their chests and their blood could still be spilled, there was nothing else a good witch needed.

He extended his arm, focused and let his power flow, reaching deep inside of himself as he learnt to do from his mother, letting the power wash through his body, his arm, out of his hands until it found his intended target. The warrior closest to him howled in pain as he choked and fell to his knees, the wolf he was about to strike down reacted immediately, turning swiftly and sinking his teeth into his neck, biting through his throat until his windpipe crushed under the force. Patrick turned his attention to the other three men standing in front of him, this was harder. Dividing his attention, but the second he felt the way their hearts pumped life into their veins it became much easier. The wolf let go of his previous victim to jump at another warrior, while a mountain lion slammed into another one from behind, forcing him to the ground while clawing up his back. Patrick could let up on his hold of the warriors as the spirits finished off the weakened enemies.

'Well damn, pat my head and call me puppy' one of the wolves remarked as he looked back at the witch. 'Lead the way Patrick' he said. 'You hold them down we tear them apart' he growled excitedly.

'Good plan' Patrick nodded and turned. He didn't have to search for a target as there was just way too many of them, he let his own power lead his way, always finding the closest enemy. About half dozen animal spirits stayed close around him, jumping to strike and kill the second a warrior was chocking on his own blood.

A force too strong to hold his own against slammed into his body viciously, tossing him backwards and he landed on the hard ground with a loud thud. He managed to keep his seax in his grip, but he hit himself badly. He was getting up when he heard a werewolf growl next to him.

'Demons' he spat. Patrick turned his attention to the new enemies. It was only a few of them, but they were a much larger threat than the warriors, Patrick knew that. If there was anything his mother made sure he learnt was that how dangerous demons were. They were lead by a demon that had a tall man as its host. He had a large and long knife in his hand that was already dripping with blood, his eyes were roaming everything in front of him before they locked on Patrick.

The witch got to his feet, facing the demon. His eyes were glinting with something Patrick couldn't decipher, he could only recognize the sheer hunger for violence. The demon whispered something to his companions, two of them looked at each other.

'But Alastair...' one of them started, but one glance from the tall demon silenced him. A second later the other demons left his side and disappeared in the midst of the battle. When those dark eyes leveled on him again Patrick felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

'Go and help your brethren' the witch told to the spirits who still didn't leave his side. They looked at each other before swiftly running away to get back into the fight. The demon smirked at him viciously.

x~x~x

Dean heard how the gates fell down, how the phantoms attacked, their war-cries clear in the demigod's ears, but he heard the spirits too and knew that the battle started at the other side of the fort, just a few walls separating them. Him and Gabriel didn't go to the main entrance, but to the other side of the citadel to get inside through that door.

'Dean' Gabriel called, getting his attention back. 'The battle ends the sooner we deal with the gods' he reminded him. Dean knew that, but he still would've felt better to fight alongside the spirits and Patrick, but he knew this was the best plan. Gabriel's focus was on the walls, clearly seeing something that was invisible even to Dean's eyes.

He heard screams and that made him turn his head again. Just in time to see how Ellil dropped a handful of phantoms down from high up the sky, they screamed as the fell to the depth.

'Dean, we have to hurry' Gabriel urged him.

'Yes, sorry' the demigod replied. He turned his attention to the door in front of him. Gabriel couldn't touch any part of the walls or the doors as long as the warding magic was up, but if Dean made him an entrance the symbols would be broken and the archangel could get in easily.

He had to brace himself for this, he was stronger than any human, but he was still not sure if he would be able to break down the door on his own, he had to do his best. He had his ways to make himself stronger, but he rather not result to such things.

He took a few short, but deep breaths as he charged. The door cracked loudly as he collided with it, it hurt his shoulder a little but nothing too serious.

'Dean?' Gabriel asked, his voice sounded impatient and concerned at the same time. It was amusing how he could do that.

'I'm good' the demigod replied. 'It just needs another go.' he said as he pushed himself away from the wooden surface. He heard that the wood cracked and was sure that the hinge was bent too. He walked back to where he started before and charged again, this time the door broke off its hinge with a crack from the impact. Wood splinters flew everywhere as the door bent and fell down to the floor, Dean almost fell right after it but he could catch himself in the frame in the last second. Dean just glanced back at Gabriel, the angel had a far-away look on his face and he frowned a little in concentration.

'Is there anything?' Dean asked. He was sure that they were heard so they had to move fast now.

'Blood sigils' Gabriel answered as he extended his hand towards the door, Dean wanted to get out of the way, but realized that the angel was targeting something way beyond him. Then Gabriel dropped his hand and started to walk closer. 'Now they are useless' he added.

They made their way inside. Gabriel told him beforehand that it was better if they both walked, he didn't want to get surprised again and flying in while not knowing what exactly was inside would've been foolish.

The corridor was short and Dean opened the door at the end after the angel nodded at him. The hall was tall and bright, a lot brighter than the other parts of the fortDean saw before. Torches burnt on the sides on the tall columns besides the walls while candles flickered on the two large iron chandeliers. One side was nothing but one tall stained glass window where the moonlight shone through brightly. The hall was empty, but Dean was cautious. Every instinct of him said that they were not alone, not completely.

They walked inside slowly and Gabriel grabbed his arm and pulled him backwards one second before the stench and the presence hit him. The angel was in front of him with at least a dozen demons in front of them by the time Dean could take in their surroundings again. To his surprise Gabriel chuckled.

'Now this is just utterly stupid' the archangel remarked. He raised a hand, fingers spread and light exploded from within the demons the next moment. Burning brightness shining out from their eyes and mouths before the human hosts crumbled to the floor. Dean blinked a few times.

'You were not joking when you said that you can get rid of demons' he said.

'Even lesser angels can dispose of such filth easily' Gabriel answered as he started to walk again, Dean followed.

'Which way now?' Dean asked as he eyed the doors at one end of the hall. Gabriel was on the other side also facing two doors. The god hoped that the archangel could sense what was beyond the walls now that he was inside and they won't be running in circles trying to find Morrígan and Leomas.

'Dean!' Gabriel yelled, but it was too late for the demigod to react properly. Someone, something grabbed him and tried to toss him across to room, he only managed to grab hold of the attacker instead of dodging. He twisted his body to get the upper-hand but the grip was too strong. He caught a glimpse of golden hair before he used his entire body to slam into the attacker, making both of them hit the window. Glass shattered, the voice that gasped in surprise behind him was female... Morrígan. And then he was falling, with the pieces of the shattered stained glass window all around them as the cold wind hit his skin. Morrígan let go of him as she swiftly shifted to a large white hawk and flew. Dean shifted into his falcon form too before he could hit the ground but it was a close call. He then followed the goddess.

x~x~x

Gabriel ran across the room but he was not able to get a hold of either of the struggling deities before they fell through the window, he saw how Morrígan and Dean both took up animal forms before hitting the ground and his eyes followed the way they took flight high up in the sky. He wasn't sure whether to follow, he planned on destroying both Morrígan and Leomas on his own. He definitely didn't want Dean to shed his mother's blood. He decided that the firegod could wait, he had to make sure that Dean was safe. He was about to spread his wings and take flight when a small noise hit his ears and it made him spin around quickly.

The intended words died on his lips as he sucked in a large breath, he knew his eyes widened as well, but there was no amount of magic, taint, glamor or will that could've fooled his eyes, or hide the light.

Nothing that could've deceived his senses, nothing that would've stopped him from recognizing the presence in front of him.

'Samael' he said after finding his voice.

The dark-haired man standing at the other end of the room just looked at him, his lips curling up into a gentle smile.

'Hello big brother.'

x~x~x


	21. Chapter 21

 

Gabriel stood silently looking at his brother. He felt a strange mixture of shock, relief and mistrust. Thousand questions flooded his mind immediately.

'We thought you were dead' he said finally.

'Yes, that was intentional' Samael answered simply as he walked closer casually, he didn't seem hostile but he never did, his gentle smile never faltered not even when his hands were blood soaked and destruction lay under his feet.

'You're Leomas?' Gabriel asked as he pieced the picture together. Samael chuckled.

'The one and only' he answered. 'I know I wasn't actually as creative with the choice of name as you were... Loki.' he chuckled again.

'I knew Lucifer wouldn't give away so much knowledge to demons' the archangel said then. It bothered him from the very start, because it was so very unlike Lucifer to do such a thing. 'It was you then.' the angel simply shrugged. 'What is this?' Gabriel asked. 'Why hide?'

'I could ask you the same thing, Gabriel' Samael replied.

'I doubt we have the same reasons.'

'That's true' Samael agreed. 'You see, I am hiding because I am loyal while you appear to be a coward.'

'Watch your tone with me Samael' Gabriel warned.

'Or what?' the younger angel taunted. 'I'm not just some third rank angel you can obliterate with a snap of your fingers... well maybe you could but I'm rather sure Michael and Raphael would feel that and from what I gather after watching you all this time since you arrived here I don't think you actually want that to happen.' Gabriel stayed silent as his eyes narrowed. There was no reason to deny it so he didn't speak. 'And you also left your toys behind I presume' Samael added with another smile. 'It would've been foolish of you to take anything along because even if Michael is not tearing apart the world to find you, he surely would if you still had all of Heaven's weaponry. Left your little squire Virgil to guard them for you, right? Be your watchdog while you're away?'

'If you're alive...' Gabriel started ignoring his brother's words as a slight trace of hope flamed up in him.

'No' Samael answered simply. 'Sariel and Azrael are really dead, but it was not Lucifer who slew them.'

'What?' Gabriel blinked in confusion.

'It was Michael.'

'No, why would...' then he realized that there was really only one reason for Michael to destroy any of them. 'Loyal you said... loyal to Lucifer?'

'Naturally' Samael told him with a small nod. Gabriel let the silence stretch out as the words sank in. He wasn't surprised that the reason for their deaths did not ease up the pain he felt upon loosing his younger siblings.

'Whatever you're doing here Samael, you can't free him' Gabriel said.

'I know' the younger angel replied. 'The time has not come yet, I am simply doing some... preparations.'

'As in?' the archangel inquired.

'Oh you know, arming all who serve our brother, making sure there are always enough reinforcements from down under.'

'Samael, what did you do?' Gabriel asked warningly.

'I did the right thing... still doing the right thing' the angel said with absolute conviction.

'What? Giving away our secrets to demons?' Gabriel asked.

'Partially, but opening up enough gates was more like my main agenda' Samael supplied at Gabriel's look he continued. 'Oh surely you can see the logic in that brother. All those demons coming through, they make deals, corrupt and make witches, then those humans will be dragged down to become demons themselves, a perfect never-ending circle.' Gabriel stared at his younger brother for a long moment before he shook his head slowly.

'Helping for Lucifer's course to taint humanity further' the archangel said. 'To let these abominations multiply... watching Lucifer turn away from us was hard enough, but you... you all who have been on my side on Earth...'

'That's just it Gabriel' the other angel interrupted. 'We were the closest, the best way to see their true visage. All those mindless puppets in Heaven can't know what we know. They never truly saw all the evil they commit, the way they kill each other like vicious animals, how they destroy and shed blood for their own selfish wants and pleasures. They treat me as a god and they slaughtered thousands to please me. I saw their true nature Gabriel every time we followed you here when Father ordered it, you should know better than any of us. Your eyes should be the clearest, every time we were ordered to strike down was a sign. They don't deserve this world.'

'That is not up to us to decide' Gabriel told him.

'I know you better than that Gabriel' Samael said right away. 'When I felt your arrival, saw you here... I was so glad. Because no matter what happened I always hoped, always expected you to find your way, that you will turn your back on Michael.'

'I will not follow Lucifer's path' Gabriel said. 'I left Heaven, but I have not turned against God. Him I won't betray.'

'Don't you see it?! He betrayed us!' Samael raised his voice, then he fell silent right after looking at Gabriel with a hard look. 'I feared you would still be like this, but I hoped, desperately hoped that you would finally see the mistake you've made.'

'I made a mistake?' Gabriel asked. 'You followed Lucifer against our Father, but you are accusing me?'

'Lucifer fought for all of us!' Samael shot back loudly. 'We loved, served and obeyed Father from the very beginning. Never questioned Him, never doubted Him. Then He created this world and gave it to them. He gave them His love, gave them their free will. These disgusting little pests, they do not love Him, the do not serve Him, they worship these creatures that call themselves gods, why... why would they deserve all this? Why are we forced to our knees to bow down to them like servants? We deserve better, Gabriel... and our brother wanted to give that to us. Wanted justice for us and he was betrayed... even by you.'

Samael looked at him with eyes drowned in raw pain, his face hard with dark anger.

'Lucifer--'

'Needed you... and you turned your back on him' the younger angel said bitterly and the words cut like blades.

'I couldn't--'

'We needed you, Gabriel! Lucifer needed you! I knew Michael and Raphael would betray us, but you... you should have stood by our side!'

'And what? Fall with Lucifer?' Gabriel asked.

'I did' Samael replied as he straightened out, his posture and expression showing something close to pride. 'Azrael and Sariel did. Just like Kapziel, Amon, Bernael, Ronobe and Gadreel. Lucifer asked you to stand by him as well and you turned against him, don't try to see it as anything else than what it really was.'

Gabriel shifted his eyes away and let Samael's harsh words strike him like a whip, he would never forget when his older brother stood before him with his request to side with him, it was when his world fell apart. He felt how the air shifted and his brother was standing right in front of him. A hand descended down on his shoulder, but Samael waited until Gabriel looked at him.

'It is not too late, Gabriel' he said quietly. 'You were afraid. Lucifer will understand, you know he will. He would never be angry with you, and you are so very like him, you just needed time to find your way... Gabriel. We still need you, don't abandon us again.'

The archangel took a large breath. He felt like no day passed since Lucifer's rebellion all of a sudden, and once again he had a beloved brother standing before him asking for his help.

x~x~x

Patrick eyed the demon with caution as it stared back at him with amusement as the spirits and the phantoms fought their battles all around them, the night air was filled with the scent of blood and metal.

'You know you're the little lamb among the wolves, boy' the demon said. 'The only human near and far... like you're just waiting for your blood to be spilled.'

'Oh this lamb might just bite back ye stinking piece of filth' the witch shot back.

'My-my, spirited are we?' the demon chuckled as he was walking closer, but Patrick kept the distance between them as he moved in a circle. 'That must've come from your dear old Mommy.'

The grin on Alastair's face was sharp and cruel and Patrick felt as cold ran down his spine at the mention of his mother.

'You are not to mention her' he spat angrily, which of course only cause the demon to chuckle.

'Attached to that pile of dust, are we boy?' he asked. 'Too bad I couldn't amuse myself while there was still skin and flesh left, witches are always fun to play with, but I guess I have you now' his smile was predatory and Patrick knew that he would charge at him any second now.

'Well, try and get me dreck!' he challenged as he focused on the body of the demon before him, at every small movement.

It was only a blink when the demon moved, but the witch was ready and the next second his arm was extended and the demon stopped abruptly. Alastair glanced down at his host then back at the witch with an amused expression on his face.

'Oh sonny, you can't get rid of me that easily. Do what you want with the sack of meat I'm wearing, it won't do you any good.'

'I know' Patrick said, his voice was strained as he focused all his power on the body, the demons was strong, was fighting against his hold with his own power. 'I just want to keep you in place' he added. Alastair pushed against his hold again, but a human body was a human body still, even if a demon inhabited it and Patrick could immobilize it, even if not for long.

'Oh just try, boy. I can't wait to carve up your pretty face when you get tired.'

'Not likely' Patrick said and he let a small smile appear on his face. 'Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus' Alastair's face darkened immediately and fought against the witch's hold even more, but Patrick held on and continued the chant. 'omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica.' the demon growled at him and hissed as he was fighting against the magic. Patrick felt as his arm shook, but he held on. 'Ergo, draco maledicte. Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.'

As soon as the last word left his lips the demon threw his head back and the black smoke, the demon's true form rushed out of the body, Patrick let go of his hold on the body and took a few large breaths to compose himself as the host crumbled to the ground lifelessly.

'Ye can be exorcised ye dumb piece of shit' he remarked even if he knew that the demon couldn't hear him anymore. Patrick sent a silent thank you to his mother, the young man rolled his eyes at the exorcism spell when Creide insisted that he learnt it, but there was no arguing with her.

' _You're Gwydion's son_ ' she told him back then. ' _So ye will know how to deal with demons, my boy won't fear those bastards._ '

The memory hurt, but also made him smile, she prepared him for everything and he would use that now. With one last deep breath he straightened up and rushed back into the ongoing fight to aid the spirits.

x~x~x

Dean groaned in pain as he hit a rock sharply, but he could catch himself before he fell even deeper. He climbed back again, for at least the fifth time. Morrígan stood not far away from him, anger distorting and sharpening her gentle face.

'You have to try harder than that' Dean told her.

'I could destroy you in a heart beat you little bastard' she spat angrily. Maybe Dean couldn't actually harm her severely, but he did manage to infuriate her. Her dress was torn and she had nasty scrapes on her arms after Dean managed to crash them both down in their avian-forms.

'Why don't you?' Dean asked with equal anger. 'Why give me birth in the first place if you despise me so much?!' The goddess looked at him and her anger subdued a little, turning into something like amusement and Dean knew he wouldn't like what she was going to say.

'So you still didn't figure it out?' she asked. 'I had you to have something to offer in my deal with Auberon.' Dean looked at her long and hard wanting to see if it was the truth or something she said to hurt him even more, but he was almost certain that she didn't care enough to try and hurt him like this.

'Wondered why a goddess like you would lay down with a human' Dean said to her, still not getting up from the ground, his right leg hurt even if he wasn't bleeding.

'Well the fay only take the first-born' Morrígan told him simply. 'So I had to make sure my first was not someone with actual potential. It would've been foolish of me to give away a son with real power.'

'Foolish' Dean repeated bitterly.

'It had to be someone expandable, I knew a half-breed would be just useless enough to make the deal favorable to me.'

Dean felt as his hands clenched into fists as he stared down at the hard stone under him instead of the goddess standing a few feet away. He couldn't really identify the feeling gripping his chest tightly, maybe it was hatred, but it was not the heat of fire he felt like he was used to it, it was cold, like ice was burning his insides, made everything sharp in the silver light of the full moon.

'So I don't despise you, Deandalon' Morrígan said next. 'You are too insignificant in my life for me to express such deep emotions.'

Dean just knew that if he looked up at her he would see that cold, pleased smile on her face. The smile that shoved that she was looking down on him, that she felt she was superior. The cold just gripped his chest even tighter and the spells on his body grew and grew into their full form, dark as midnight and he didn't want to stop it from happening, not this time.

He let the dark symbols spread on his skin as he let the numbness froze his heart further.

'All you gods think you're better than me' he said quietly. 'All of you looking down on me like I'm a miscreant, disposable dirt on the sole of your feet... you're wrong...' he looked up at his mother and knew that his face showed his willingness to kill. She looked back at him dispassionately, not at all intimidated by his anger.

He reached into his belt and pulled his knife out, he cut up his left palm with the same movement before Morrígan could move an inch and slammed his hand down on his chest. Let his blood seep into the central symbol, the core of the six other spells all around it. He felt how the magic flared up immediately as he knew it would even if he never experienced before.

'Athaba éirgid assa Méderad!' he uttered with deadly calm. Morrígan's eyes widened for a second as he heard the words.

Dean's skin was on fire, his vision sharpened, all his senses widened and he felt how the power grew and wrapped around him, how the spell seeped into his every bone immediately. He had to shift, he felt it... he had to claw, he had to bite, tear down skin and flesh and break bones to dust, the night was calling, the scent of blood, the sound of battle from the distance igniting him from within.

He took his wolf-form quicker than ever before and he was bigger now, he felt it. Morrígan smelled like death and war and power and he wanted to destroy her.

The goddess turned immediately and Dean soon had a white wolf standing before him growling at him deep in her throat, she was just as large as he himself was. He knew he was strong enough now to match his enemy and that the white fur will soon be painted red, drenched in blood. He leaped towards her from the edge of the cliff, fangs and claws aimed to kill.

x~x~x

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Athaba éirgid assa Méderad!" -- "Deadly nigh-shade arises and blood will gush from headless necks." (approx) Old Irish gaelic


	22. Chapter 22

 

'How did the gods come into all this?' Gabriel asked instead of answering his brother. 'Why ally with Morrígan?' Samael looked at him for a few moments considering his words and obviously whether he wanted to answer or not.

'Well, all that power I need to open gates without having all of Heaven on my heels has to come from somewhere' he said finally. 'Morrígan was... suitable for this particular event to use since she has that deal with Auberon in her pocket, there is always someone who lusts power or authority enough to be willing to offer service in exchange for some pretty promises.'

Samael side-stepped him and walked to the broken window to stare our at the night sky.

'And Dean?' Gabriel found himself asking. 'Why kill his family, what role does he have?' Samael chuckled again.

'Oh yes, Deandalon. It is interesting, one would think that something that is a medley of some little ape and one of these petty little creatures that call themselves gods would be one of the most corrupt and distasteful things on the face of Earth.'

Gabriel felt a spark of anger at his brother's words and he was sure that the other angel felt the shift in the air as he glanced in his direction again.

'Instead he was pathetically winsome and righteous' Samael finished despite the almost tangible tension. 'So no, he plays no role, I was just passing time, but he indeed was a lot less righteous after a few hard blows from fate' Gabriel looked at the other angel finally and he found his brother already looking at him. The archangel's face was hard and on the verge of turning truly angry. Samael huffed out a tiny laugh.

'I did notice you were fond of him brother' he said. 'I suppose once you're flesh you come to appreciate some new experiences this world can give. Even if I would not have expected you to slum this much.'

Gabriel swallowed down his anger that came from the words his brother spoke about Dean and turned his attention back to the other things he told already.

'You've been down here this whole time' Gabriel said. 'Since the Fall... you opened Gates before, right?

'Several' Samael replied matter of factly. 'At least one in every continent. Since there is no way for me to break the right seals and open the cage at the moment, I can do noting but allow free passage for all demons between Anaon and Earth... to allow destiny's wheel to start spinning.'

'If Lucifer got out, there would be war again, that's what you want?' Gabriel asked. 'You want our brothers to keep slaughtering each other? You want even more kin to fall?'

'It has to happen!' Gabriel closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

'You all just want destruction' he muttered.

'Says the Angel of Judgment. You, the left hand of God, isn't destruction your field of expertise?'

'I want our family to be at peace!' Gabriel snapped. 'I want the hatred and the fighting to stop! I don't want to watch anymore brothers die!'

'Lucifer will end all this' Samael told him.

'He started it!' Gabriel shouted.

'I wished you would see sense Gabriel, I really did' Samael said with a sigh. 'You've changed, you were fierce and unyielding. Magnificent and glorious like Lucifer, what happened to you brother?'

'Everything fell apart' Gabriel answered, his anger slipping away into bitterness. 'Our family fell apart.'

'We could--'

'I won't join Lucifer' the archangel interrupted and he knew that his voice held the right edge of finality in it. He loved his brother, he was sure that he won't ever be able to stop loving him completely, but he didn't feel the same hatred towards humanity he did, even with his Father gone he didn't feel the same abandonment or betrayal. He left Heaven to get away from all of them and their angry words, not to join Lucifer in his exile.

'You leave me no choice then.'

'Don't be foolish, Samael' Gabriel warned.

'You cannot use all your powers brother in order to keep hidden, so it's just you against me, blade against blade' Samael never lost his calm, even now his voice was kind. Gabriel briefly wondered why the gentlest of his brothers were the ones to fall down this deep.

'You can't win' Gabriel said.

'Well, we'll see about that' the archangel turned towards the other angel and he could see the glint of the silver blade in his hand clearly in the moonlight. It took nothing but a thought to materialize his own weapon in his hand even if its smooth cool surface felt like it burnt his hand.

'Samael... Brother, please don't make me do this.'

'No one makes us do anything, Gabriel. Not anymore.'

The silence was deafening as they stood in front of the large window and the broken stained glass pieces splattered the moonlight shining down on them with gold and crimson colours. The sound of battle and screams was loud and clear, but to Gabriel it seemed like it was a million miles away. His fingers tightened around the handle of his blade and he felt the ripple of energy in the air a second before Samael moved.

Gabriel's only thought was... _too slow._

The slim metal slid into the vessel's chest smoothly, tearing skin, flesh and bone, sliding past all that was human and harming all that was angel. Gabriel grabbed hold of the other angel with an iron grip as Samael's blade fell to the floor with a loud clank.

'I'm sorry' he managed to choke out between large breaths. 'I'm so sorry little brother.'

Maybe Samael wanted to say something more, but he couldn't. His hand gripped Gabriel's arm tightly and the archangel didn't let go of him as he slid the blade even deeper. Samael's grace flamed up, coursed through his human vessel. His light was breaking apart to pieces, his own power was tearing his grace to shreds as his wings ripped free from their confines, burning up into ashes in front of Gabriel's eyes.

The angel screamed as he burnt, light broke free from the vessel and Gabriel let go of him pulling his blade out as the heat was starting to seep into him. As the last thread broke Samael's grace exploded, it blast out the remains of the glass in the window and blew out all torches and candles leaving the room in cold silver darkness while the burnt remains of the angel's wings fell to the floor scorching the stone darkly.

Gabriel was panting heavily and he let his weapon fall out from his numb fingers. Staring at the burnt out vessel of his brother grief and shame gripped his chest tightly as he fell to his knees.

'I'm so sorry Samael' he whispered. He wanted to pray, ask his Father for forgiveness but he didn't find the words, he didn't think there were right words. He never wanted to kill a brother, but he failed to keep the promise he made to himself. He noticed the tears sliding down his cheeks, but he just remained on the floor and let them fall freely.

x~x~x

The world was sharp. All colours were deeper, all smell was tangible, all sound was clear and he was strong now. Stronger, faster, power pulsed in every muscle and bone in his body and he had only one target. Her blood was the scent that fed his fury and he wanted to destroy, tear more, bite more. Kill!

Both of them were jumping form cliff to cliff at the mountain side, colliding mid-air with bared teeth and sharp claws and trying to tear into one another. It was a chase, a race where they were both haunted and they were both hunters. Dean's left leg was torn now, but the pain didn't reach his mind, he could still fight. Morrígan's white fur was bloodstained at several places, but Dean didn't manage to wound her too deeply. He didn't hear the battle at the citadel now, didn't hear anything but the blood rushing in his ear.

He landed on a stone that was higher than Morrígan and he jumped at her without a thought, she crouched and seemed ready to jump but when Dean was about to strike down she shifted forms swiftly and was human again, she grabbed into the thick fur on Dean's shoulders and twisted him around and he smashed into the mountainside. Sharp pain dug into his side as a few bones snapped inside of him. He got onto his feet almost immediately still, magic subdued the pain and the strength to fight was there inside of him hot and blazing. He growled deep in his throat as he looked up at the goddess standing on a cliff. Her dress was torn, her skin marked with several deep gashes and bloody bites, her hair lost her elegant style as was chaotically swirling in the cold wind.

'You little bastard' she hissed looking down on him while she tore down a piece from the sleeve of her dress that was getting in her way. Two knives appeared in her hand and she shifted her pose into a battle stance. All her gentle features were gone now, she was angry and in every bone a wargoddess now that she realized that her opponent was strong enough to fight her as an equal.

Shifting back to human form was a fleeting thought in Dean's mind, gone as soon as it appeared as he charged again. Morrígan stood in a defensive stance ready to parry him, but Dean changed his direction and jumped at the side of the mountain first to leap down at her from the side. His fangs locked on her upper arm, and he bit down forcefully right until the bone as the goddess screamed in pain. Dean twisted his head tearing the muscles and the flesh and would've torn down the arm itself but a sharp jab forced him to ease up his hold as Morrígan sank one of her knives into him, right below his collarbone. He jumped back before she could shove it deeper and managed to shake the blade out with one movement.

Morrígan clutched her heavily bleeding arm as she glared down at Dean with undisguised fury. No, it was more than that, it was hatred, despise. It was enough for Dean, he was not so insignificant for such emotions now, was he?

'You infuriating little miscreant!' she cursed at him. 'You will be sorry for this! I'm going to skin you alive and pin you up to the gates for everyone to see how those end who dare to defy me! I will burn you to dust you useless pest! Throw your bones to the dogs and you will rot in a ditch!'

'Just try Morrígan' Dean growled in a deep voice challengingly. 'Try it, I'm here... see if you can get rid of me.'

The goddess' face darkened with anger again as she threw her remaining knife away and conjured up a lance instead. The muscles in Dean's body tensed at the sight as he got ready for the strike. Morrígan swirled the lance around in her good hand as she prepared then leaped. She was too fast to dodge, but Dean shifted back to human form a blink before she could've stabbed him down and he could grab hold of the weapon with his hands.

Their eyes caught for one moment before she tried to twist the lance out of Dean's grip, but the demigod didn't let go for a second.

Then an enormous blast of light shook the mountain, especially the citadel that was still in their sight and both of them turned swiftly to look up as all windows of the fort flared up with light and glass shattered out and rained down on the mountainside.

They both felt the power that washed over them like a night breeze and Dean knew that power, knew the feel of it and it made his heart turn cold in one blink, the heat of battle evaporating from his body almost instantly.

'Gabriel' he whispered. Then his next words died on his lips as pain flared up in him, pure agony as Morrígan twisted her lance enough to stab him in the gut. His throat filled up with blood and was filling his mouth as he looked at the face of his mother. One second and the goddess used is. It's like the pain spread out in his entire body in a moment, like his heavy beating heart was spreading the agony within him as it was pumping his blood into his veins and out of his body. Morrígan's face was triumphant as she was about to twist the weapon deeper slowly and painfully, but a bright flash of light tore her away and Dean fell down to the ground. He didn't fell down the mountainside even if he was close to the edge.

His vision was blurring as he threw up some blood, he wanted to get the lance out of his body, but he couldn't move his arm. He thought he saw hoofs, he heard Morrígan curse and shout in anger before there was another flash of blue light. He couldn't see, he was numb and everything hurt. Someone crunched down next to him, but he couldn't make out the figure. There was some dirty blonde hair in the moonlight.

'Dammit kiddo' the form cursed, he sounded familiar, very familiar. 'Gabriel!!' the figure yelled. 'Hold on, we'll get you through this' the voice told him. There was a cold hand on his forehead as his sight slowly disappeared. 'No, kid stay awake, don't you dare die on me.' The voice said again, he knew that voice, knew who he was.

'Puck' he choked out, there was too much blood in his mouth to speak properly.

'Just hold on' the faun told him. 'Gabriel!!' he yelled again to the sky. Dean's mind drifted to the angel, the light was white, maybe his golden angel was alright, he had to be, he was stronger than anyone. Maybe he heard a flutter of wings, maybe not. There was too much pain and it was too dark to see.

x~x~x


	23. Chapter 23

 

Gabriel was torn out from his cold stillness by someone calling his name, he recognized it and was surprised that the sprite's call could reach him even if he was not human. He wanted to ignore it, he wanted to grieve his brother in peace and ignore the world just a bit more. Things could wait. Then the call rang in his ears even louder and the faun's voice was angry and almost desperate in a way that made the angel uneasy. Puck clearly didn't care about most things in this world so what would possibly make him so...

His eyes widened as he spread his wings to take flight, he barely remembered to grab both his and Samael's blade before leaving the citadel behind to land next to the faun calling to him. The sight made him froze. Puck was crouched down to the ground next to Dean and there was blood, way too much blood. The demigod was pale and shaking, wounds scattered all over his body and a silver lance was stabbed into his stomach, he was breathing but only barely. Puck was muttering, speaking to him in a hushed tone and Gabriel didn't know which was stronger in him; the shock and terror he felt or the endless fury. He snapped out of his daze in a moment later and rushed to the demigod's side. Fear won the battle of emotions.

'Dean!'

'Finally' Puck snapped at him as Gabriel got down onto his knees and reached out. 'Heal him!'

'I can't!'

'What?!' the faun looked at him sharply.

'He's not human' Gabriel told him but his eyes didn't leave Dean's body for one second. He had to do something, but he wasn't sure what. 'Dean!' he called again. Puck cursed under his nose then took a large breath.

'Take him to Creide's house' the sprite ordered. 'I'll grab Patrick, we have to patch him up and he's better at it then I am... Gabriel! Now!' he yelled when the archangel didn't move. Gabriel reached out to touch again and transported Dean and himself back to the hut in a blink. Dean's breathing was too shallow and he didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings at all, Gabriel tried to focus his mind on what he knew about how humans and other mortal beings treated wounds. He knew there was a reason Puck left the lance in, pulling out the weapon would increase the blood loss – that Gabriel was sure of – and since he didn't know exactly how to stop the bleeding he didn't want to make things worse. He didn't touch the weapon, but shed his cape and tore it into two pieces to press the material to the wound around the weapon. Dean's body was built just like a human's even if Gabriel couldn't shape or knit it back together with his grace, no main artery was torn fortunately, but the archangel sealed the remains of his cape on the wound tightly to stem the blood flow. He felt how the bleeding was slowing, but it was still too much. He didn't know what else to do, there was nothing else he could do, Dean was still pale and shaking, sweat was breaking out on his skin and he felt too cool to the touch and Gabriel never felt more useless in his entire existence.

'Dean, stay with me...' he managed to say as the pale green garment under his fingers got soaked in blood and this time Gabriel did pray to his Father for the green eyes to open and look at him. With a flash of blue light Patrick and Puck arrived through one of the faun's portals.

'Oh dear stars' Patrick breathed before he was at the bed right away.

'What do I do?' Gabriel asked, his voice shaky and desperate even to his own ears.

'Just get out of my way' the young witch answered and while Gabriel hated the thought of letting go of Dean even for a second he gave space. Patrick put his hand on the bloody material on the wound as Gabriel pulled away. Puck was already getting around in the house grabbing things and dropping them down close enough for Patrick to reach.

'He's bleeding real bad' Patrick said. 'I'm not sure... not even Ma had to--'

'You're doing it kid, I'm helping you' Puck replied immediately, and Gabriel wanted to destroy something in frustration as he had nothing to do but try not to pace or run back to Dean. He was not someone who was used to staying out of the way.

'Gabriel, come help hold him down' Puck spoke up and the angel moved immediately. He knelt down to the end of the bed and put his hands on Dean's shoulders, he was not in Patrick's way that way.

'Ye wanna pull out the lance?' the witch asked as he looked at the faun.

'I can do that' he answered with a jerky nod.

'I can make it vanish' Gabriel told them. 'You don't have to rip it out then.'

'Even better' Patrick said. He grabbed a few clean white cloth that was probably meant to be used for such cases. 'After I start he will be in pain if he's conscious enough' the witch said. 'Keep him in one place.' The young man took one large breath, he was anxious Gabriel could tell, but his hands were sure and Gabriel blessed Creide's name for teaching her son so well.

Patrick then shifted his hands and nodded at Gabriel. The angel reached out with a hand and touched the silver lance and made it vanish without a trace. Patrick put the white cloth on the wound tearing away Dean's shirt and tossing away the remains of Gabriel's cape. The switch made Dean's body tense up as he groaned in pain so Gabriel put a hint of pressure on his shoulders to keep him from trashing. Puck put an arm over the demigod's legs while helping Patrick by handing him what he needed.

The sounds of agony tearing out from Dean's lips was too horrible for Gabriel and he felt useless again, he wished more than anything that he could at least sooth his pain. He leaned over Dean and pressed his forehead to his, his skin was damp and cool.

'Dean' he whispered. 'I'm here Dean, can you hear me? We'll help you, just hold on... Dean, it's Gabriel, listen to me... Dean...' He kept repeating the words over and over again, trying to get the demigod's attention or get a reaction out of him besides pained groans.

'Gabriel...' came a tiny, hoarse whisper after a few moments.

'Yes! Dean, I'm here! I'm right here! Hold out, please hold out for me!' the next groan was loud and Dean's body wanted to squirm away, but was held firmly in place. 'Hush Dean, we're helping. It's going to be all right, stay with me. Just listen to me, focus on my voice, I'm right here love...'

'Hurts so much--' Dean chocked out.

'It will be better, just a little bit more, it soon will be over.' Gabriel was surprised that Dean was strong enough to lift his arm up to drop it on the archangel's hand but he didn't hesitate before he entwined their fingers and gave it a squeeze. 'I'm right here, just hold on for me.'

He didn't pay attention to what Patrick and Puck were doing, just kept his forehead pressed to Dean's and whispered soothing words to him, not stopping for a second but demanding Dean's attention to draw him away from the pain as much as possible. He felt that Dean tried to squeeze his hand back but he was too weak to do so and it tore Gabriel up to see him being so very broken.

It felt like a lifetime to him before Dean finally settled down a bit, not trying to twist away from Patrick and when he heard the young witch let out a long breath was when Gabriel opened his eyes again to glance up at the others in the room. Dean was bandaged up properly both on his stomach and leg, an injury Gabriel didn't even see until now. Patrick was breathing heavily, his hands were bloody and he sat back on his heels just looking in front of himself, there was a light tremble in his entire body.

'We need to bandage his shoulder' he said.

'I do that' Puck told him. 'You wash yourself up kiddo, you did really well.' Patrick didn't argue just nodded and got up. Gabriel leaned a bit back to give the sprite room as he reached to clean out the smaller stab wound above Dean's collarbone, but he didn't let go of the demigod's hand. Dean seemed to have lost consciousness again as he was a lot more still than he was before. Puck worked in silence for a long while, bandaging up the wound after cleaning it out.

'He's not through it yet' the faun spoke up after a while as he kept his eyes on his hands. 'He's not healing properly.'

'What?' Gabriel asked.

'These symbols on him' Puck continued. 'They all have a separate purpose, a bit of protection and some extra perception, but they can be combined.'

Gabriel recalled the markings on Dean's skin. He knew them well as he traced those symbols with his fingers and tongue more than once.

'It's a bloodspell' the sprite said. 'And he used it to fight Morrígan... the fallout would be not so bad, but such a severe injury...' he trailed off as he finished bandaging the wound then started to gather all the things he and Patrick scattered around the bed in their hurry.

'What?' Gabriel prompted him to answer.

'The spell made him stronger, in every sense of the word, but it used up all his power. Made every ounce of magic and energy flare up and burn in him all at once, he would be tired, probably would be passed out for a while after it no matter what, but like this... his body just doesn't have the energy to heal the way he usually does.'

'What are you saying?' asked the archangel with narrowed eyes.

'I'm saying he's healing as slowly as a human or he's not healing at all, he is drained... completely. We patched him up and stopped the bleeding as much as we could but--'

'But what Puck?'

'If he doesn't start healing properly in the next few hours... he most likely won't make it.'

'He will' Gabriel insisted. 'He's strong.'

'He is' Puck nodded. 'But that is a mortal wound Gabriel, all we can do is keep him alive as long as possible and hope he regains enough from his power to start healing before it's too late.'

x~x~x

Dean drifted in and out of wakefulness, whenever the dark claimed him he was cold and he didn't know what was happening with him. Nightmares tortured his mind constantly, he saw the bled out corpse of the little brother he never get to know, saw Creide crumbling into dust in his arms whispering her curses at him... he saw Patrick being torn apart by demons, Puck turning his back on him, he saw Leomas burning his valley to dust as the spirits screamed in agony as they died one after another and he was bound with no way of getting free. Morrígan held the chains, her laugh rang cold and dark in Dean's ears. He just screamed and screamed and everything burnt, then he saw the golden light among the flames... Gabriel, the way he was in the first days, in his true form. His beautiful golden wings scorching to black ash as he too was being consumed by the flames and Dean wanted to rush to him, burn with him to death if there was nothing else to do, but no matter how much he tried the chains held him in place...

'Dean!' the angel called him.

'Gabriel!' he screamed.

'Dean wake up!' the demigod snapped his eyes open and looked up at the angel's face and his amber eyes.

'Gabriel' he breathed in relief as the archangel was whole and unharmed.

'It was just a nightmare, you have a fever' the angel told him as he put a hand on his cheek. His palm was cool and soothing and Dean tried to relax, but everything hurt, his whole body was numb with it. 'Morrígan wounded you' Gabriel answered his unasked question. 'You're still hurt very badly, your body's exhausted it's not healing properly yet.'

'The spell...' Dean mumbled. It drained him, he didn't know whether the world being all foggy around him was because of that or something else. 'Am I dying?' he asked.

'No' Gabriel told him fiercely right away. 'You will get through this, you just need to hold on and gain back your strength, then you will heal and everything will be fine.'

'Would I go to Heaven?' he asked and Gabriel went very still beside him.

'You won't die!' the angel told him in a hard voice, but Dean didn't let it go.

'You said I had a soul, so would I go to Heaven?' Gabriel took a large breath as he closed his eyes. He held Dean's hand in his own and now he pressed his forehead to the knuckles.

'If you ever died...' the angel said slowly. 'Yes, you would go there.'

'I don't want that' Dean replied after a pause. Gabriel opened his eyes again and looked at him.

'I told you that you won't die' he said, Dean shook his head.

'That's not what I meant' he answered slowly. 'You ran away from there... I don't want to go to such a place.'

'It's different to the souls there' Gabriel answered.

'Would you come along with me?' Dean asked and the angel sucked in a sharp breath as he tensed up all over again.

'I... I can't go back there, Dean' he said.

'Then I don't want to either' the demigod answered quietly.

'That is not your choice' Gabriel told him. 'And I can't heal you, so I cannot resurrect you either, so you can't die... you won't die!'

'You will go home one day' Dean said next looking at the angel. 'I could wait.'

'Dean--'

'You could do it, I'm sure... just... don't let me go there... not yet.'

'You have to stop talking and rest. You will heal sooner that way.'

'Gabriel, you could do it... right?'

'You won't die so don't ask me such things' the archangel replied sternly.

'No, I need you to promise me... just in case...' he took a few deep breaths as the pain was increasing again, just as the heat he felt burning under his skin. 'Reapers take human souls, right?' he asked weakly. 'So don't let them take me...'

Gabriel stayed silent and just held onto Dean's hand with both of his own, closing his fingers around it tightly. His face was devastated, so sad, too sad, too still. He hated when Gabriel was so serious, he hated that he caused him to be so grim again.

'I promise' Gabriel said after a long silence.

'And when you're ready to go... you can take me there yourself' Dean said and tried to smile reassuringly, but he was already drifting away again.

'You won't die Dean' Gabriel said. 'I need you, I am yours, remember? If you're gone I won't belong to anyone again, so don't leave me alone and fight. Fight for me and stay' the angel pleaded.

Dean wanted to tell him that he was fighting, that if there was anything he wanted to fight for right now it was staying with him, that he didn't want to leave him alone, but his tongue was too heavy and the world faded away to darkness again.

x~x~x


	24. Chapter 24

 

Patrick took turns in pacing outside or sitting silently at the other side of the room with a dark expression on his face, but Gabriel didn't move an inch from Dean's side as the demigod was drifting in and out of awareness, it's not like the angel needed sleep or rest. Puck was mostly there and Gabriel felt that even some of the spirits gathered around the house and Dean... was not healing... at all, his wounds didn't seem to seal and the bleeding didn't seem to stop completely. The archangel sat by his side but could only watch as the life was slowly slipping away from him. It was like watching the grains fall in a sand-glass, and it hurt, every moment that passed without a sign of Dean gathering some strength or getting even slightly better was agonizing in its way how Gabriel's own uselessness carved him up from the inside like yeth-hounds were tearing on his very grace.

This time Patrick was outside again so Gabriel was left to listen to Dean's shallow breathing in the complete silence of the house as he held his hand in between his own. His skin was still too hot, too pale and even if hours passed he knew that Dean was only getting worse. His body was fighting, Dean was fighting, there was just not enough strength left in him and it made Gabriel want to find wherever Puck whisked Morrígan away in his hurry to get rid of her and tear her apart. Destroy her piece by piece, to make her suffer, to make her bleed and scream in agony, punish all that she has done and he would make that happen, but his worry and his slowly dying hope of Dean getting better made him stay instead of hunting down the one who hurt the demigod so badly over and over again, but he would make her suffer that he vowed without hesitation.

'I wish there was something I could do' Gabriel spoke without meaning to let the words out. 'You were right, I was arrogant... prideful even, confident that I am stronger than anything that may want to harm me in this world... but the way I'm sitting here... I might as well be human as how completely useless I am' and did he feel useless. Gabriel, the Strength of God, not being able to save the one being he truly wanted to save and there was no amount of power on Heaven or Earth that could've saved him from the deep ache he felt within himself because of it.

Dean didn't stir in his sleep, if Gabriel could call it sleep at all. His brows were deeply furrowed as he breathed shortly and shallowly, and the light tremble in his body never stopped for a moment. Unconscious was a better word for it, and maybe he wasn't in so much pain this way, or Gabriel hoped to believe that.

'I think I would still be sitting on the top of that hill, licking my wounds and mourning the family I left behind if it wasn't for you showing up to annoy me, it doesn't matter why you came to me, I'm just glad you did... I would probably be going mad by the silence that is still the worst in all this, but it's not as terrible as it was... I listen to the world instead, to the spirits, the humans... the way the wind blows outside within the trees and the rain washed away the dust, I listen and know there are thousand things left for me to see and hear and learn, Dean-- you--' the words stuck in his throat as he buried his face into the sheets next to Dean's hand. 'I want you to show me, teach me all there is left for me to learn... don't leave me alone... I cannot be alone... not now...'

Not with the image of his brother's grace tearing apart, burning up in front of his eyes still so freshly seared into his mind, not like he had the luxury of ever forgetting anything, but more than before he wanted to wrap himself around Dean's body and rest, enjoy his closeness, inhale his scent, let his presence sooth his troubled grace... instead he sat and watched him fading away. He wondered if leaving behind Heaven angered his Father enough to punish him so soon and so fiercely... if he paid attention at all. He had no way of knowing as his prayers were left unanswered.

Then he felt the presence in the room as the temperature dropped slightly lower and all his words, all his thoughts fled away in a heartbeat, pain gripped his chest so tightly that it was hard to breath, even thought he knew there was nothing wrong with his vessel, that he should've been able to take normal breaths, he just couldn't.

'No' he breathed out after a moment.

'You hold no power over this' came the answer, female voice. Not that it mattered.

'You can try get past me' Gabriel answered.

'That doesn't matter, it is time. His body won't hold out any longer just because you're hindering me, you are surely aware of that.'

Gabriel didn't let his eyes leave Dean's face not even for a moment and he didn't move from his spot either.

'I'm aware' he said quietly after a longer pause.

'Let me then.'

'Don't even think about taking another step closer' Gabriel warned darkly. There was an audible sigh from behind in reaction to his threat.

'The rules don't change just because you became attached, don't intervene angel. I am not his death, but his guide. Stopping me won't stop any of this, let me do my work.'

'You take another step closer and I will destroy you' the archangel replied as he glanced back at last, he knew his voice and his power radiated his intent perfectly. The reaper was a dark-haired woman with fair skin and she stopped again at the angel's words.

'You know what will happen if you chase me away' she said. 'Is that what you want? For him to be an aimless wandering shadow, or a vengeful spirit thirsting for blood? It is time, let it happen the way it's meant to be, he has to move on now.'

'No' Gabriel answered without a second thought.

'You cannot do this!' the reaper insisted with sudden vehemence. 'You cannot interfere like this!'

Gabriel would've smiled maybe on her indignation, how she lost her dispassionate coolness, maybe...  in any other situation, not now. And also because she was wrong, maybe he was not supposed to, but that didn't mean that he couldn't.

'I can and I will' he replied. 'And he won't be a spirit, I will make sure of that.'

'This... no, you can't do this... there is a natural order of--'

'I don't care about the natural order!' Gabriel thundered, his grace flared up in anger and that made the reaper take one step back as the walls shook lightly from the angel's voice.

'This is not supposed to happen' she insisted. Gabriel only ever intervened on Earth when his Father ordered him to do so, but his prayers were not answered this time, his Father was gone and gave him no guidance, gave him no permission nor refusal, so he had to decide on his own... it was a terrifying prospect still.

'Well, who will stop me?' Gabriel challenged her and she fell silent as expected. He was hidden from his older brothers and his Father obviously didn't intend to get involved, he could do whatever he wanted and there was no one to stop him from doing so.

'Whatever it is you're planning to do... it won't end well' she said slowly. 'You are not supposed to interfere, because if you do... there will be consequences, you know that.'

That he knew well, because Fate was not something to play around with, yet he still didn't care. His plan was forming in his mind and it was clearer with every passing second.

'Well fortunately angels are not just the instruments of destiny... it can be the other way around too.'

'No, you could start a chain of events you cannot even comprehend yet... there is order in this world, Heaven only supposed to intervene when it is meant to happen, this is _not_ meant to happen!'

'Heaven has nothing to do with this' Gabriel said. 'Leave now.'

'You don't know what you're doing.'

'Oh I do, believe me... leave, I won't warn you again.'

The reaper was gone in the next blink, not daring to challenge an archangel, but even if he was alone with Dean again there was nothing left to do, he leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to the demigod's lips, lingering for a few moments to sear the feel of it into his memories.

'I wish we had more time' he whispered as he pulled back a little, he left his forehead pressed to Dean's and just listened quietly as his breathing slowed down... then stopped.

x~x~x

Patrick stared at the sky and every bone in his body resisted even the thought of going back into the house. It was his m... his house and he was Dean's family, he had a lot more reasons to be on his side even if he wasn't sure if he could get Gabriel to move even an inch away from him, but that was not why he couldn't go back again. He just couldn't see him being this weak and he certainly didn't want to see him die.

Puck was around and Patrick could barely resist the urge to tell him that he was no longer welcome. He got his mother killed, and he won't forgive him that, but Puck was still there because of Dean and the young witch couldn't bring himself to send the faun away, no matter how angry he was at him.

His head spun around when he heard the door opening as Gabriel stepped out. He didn't need to ask, it was written all over the angel's face loud and clearly, he turned away again almost immediately.

'Bloody damn it...' he cursed as he took a shuddering breath and let his head rest on his hands as he propped his elbows up on his knees. He always hated to cry in front of others, especially in front of Dean, but he was not there to see it now dammit... so he just didn't give a damn and let it happen.

'What's in the chest?' he heard Puck ask.

'Something important' Gabriel answered. 'I'll be back soon' the angel added and a flutter of wings signaled his departure.

There was silence for a long while, only disturbed by Patrick's loud breathing as he tried to get himself under control.

'How are you holding up kid?' Puck asked and the young witch just had to laugh bitterly at the question, it hurt to laugh, hurt in every possible way to simply exist at this very moment.

'Ye know how I am?' he asked. 'Worse than I have ever been in my life Puck, that's how I am... and I really bloody need ye not to be here, because one more empty look of sympathy from ye and I swear I will try and kill ye.'

'Fair enough, kid' Puck answered and it was easy to recognize the sound of the portal opening and closing as the sprite left, just like that. Typical. He sat outside for a very long time, his feet not willing to take him back inside. The spirits were gathering, the news either traveled fast or they could feel that the guardian of the valley was no longer among them.

x~x~x

'Are you really going to leave?' Gabriel asked. Patrick kept staring at the high flames as all spirits were swirling, dancing with the smoke and fire.

'I can't stay' the witch answered. 'I grew up here and wherever I look I see a memory of either of them and... better to go.'

'You could come with me' the angel offered, but Patrick shook his head.

'I'll be fine on my own, ye don't need to watch out for me just because Dean did.'

'Well if you do find yourself in grave trouble...' Gabriel started.

'I can pray to ye... won't forget it' the witch finally tore his eyes away from the high pyre and glanced up at the mountains. 'I told the spirits to leave the gates of the citadel up. They tore everything else down, now only the gate remains. I carved my mother's name into the stone... that's the only trace she leaves behind.'

'And you' Gabriel added. 'You're here too.'

'Yes, I suppose.'

'What about Dean?' the archangel asked as he too looked into the yellow-orange flames flickering up into the dark-blue sky. 'No memorial for him?'

'No need' Patrick answered. 'This whole valley... is Deandalon, the spirits will remember him as long as even one of them is around.'

'Yes, you're right' Gabriel agreed with a light nod.

'Where are ye going?' Patrick asked.

'Wherever my wings take me' the angel answered. 'I can be wherever I want to be in a blink, so it's not like I need to make choices like that.'

'Maybe ye should try walking then' Patrick offered. 'Or get a horse, I heard the road is sometimes more important than the destination.'

'Yes, maybe I'll do that' Gabriel said after a moment.

They stood in silence for a very long time after that. The flames didn't falter for a second as the hours passed by. The wolves howled at the moon and all spirits sang to the stars and they urged the fire to burn and light up the night around them, their voice filled up everything, the woods and the fields, the streams and the hills and if a traveler ever passed through the valley again they would hear the song for Deandalon whispered in the wind.

x~x~x


	25. Epilogue

 

She might've been more exhausted than ever before, her body might've been sore and tired, but the tears in her eyes were not from grief this time. Thank God and all spirits on Earth, they were not from grief.

'He's beautiful' she whispered as she held her new-born child in her arms and gazed at the small face that she already found to be the most beautiful on the world and being able to hold him close like this was the greatest joy she ever experienced.

'Strong and healthy' her husband agreed and she wanted to cry again.

Three miscarriages, only one baby to see the sun but she was dead too within a day and now... perfect, healthy baby-boy. It was a miracle, she feared to lose another baby when she noticed she was with child again, feared not to give her husband any children, and now they had a son. His big eyes were locked on her face whenever he was not asleep and being looked at like that, like she was the whole wide world or the rising sun was so much more wonderful than she could've ever say in words.

'Hold him' she said as she looked up at her husband. The man seemed startled for one moment. He hid it so well in front of others but every time they lost a child he was broken with sadness and grief, he too looked like he was still not believing his eyes that he was finally, truly a father. The man leaned closer and gingerly took the baby out of the mother's hands.

He held him lightly, and with so much care like he was holding the most precious thing in the world in his arms. He could pretend to be gruff and fearless, but his wife knew how happy he really was, and right now, with just the two of them with their son he seemed to lose all hard edges in his demeanor.

'Are those tears that I see?' she asked teasingly as her own eyes teared up again.

'Don't be foolish, woman' the man replied immediately, but his voice and his face betrayed all emotions he wanted to hide.

'You know, shedding a few tears of joy for your first-born son won't make you less of a man' she told him. 'And neither less of a hunter, Lawrence Campbell.'

The man chuckled in his deep voice as he looked back at her wife.

'I don't dare arguing with you' he said with a smile. He shifted closer to the woman again and she reached out to tuck in the soft blanket around the boy tighter.

'He's a gift' she said, both of them just kept looking down at the little face. 'Gift from the skies.' She couldn't help thinking that, all the pain and suffering she had to go through with her first three pregnancies, none of that happened now and their boy was... perfect.

'He is Maryann, that he is' the man agreed.

Gabriel took a deep breath at his spot outside the house within the trees as he listened to the happy couple before he spread his wings and disappeared from there.

x~x~x

Gabriel first thought walking would be too slow and tedious, but he tried it anyway. He enjoyed it when he and Dean walked from town to town on their trip, but it was of course a lot less enjoyable on his own, still he walked. Not like he had anywhere to go and he feared that if he stopped he would not start moving again.

He left the isles behind and roamed the deserted dusty roads of the main land without a chosen destination. He was sure he would eventually find something that would catch his attention, but for now he was content to just go... somewhere, anywhere, and tried his best to tear away his attention from that small child that now held Dean's soul within.

He wasn't sure if it would work at first, but it did and Gabriel was grateful for that. He knew that making it possible for Lawrence and Maryann Campbell to have a child would eventually make some larger difference in the family's future later, but now it was just small enough thing to pass by Heaven's watchful eyes. Healing Maryann's flawed body so she could give birth to a healthy son to Lawrence Campbell was easy enough, she was meant to live her life childless till the end, it made her the perfect choice from the bloodline, and besides she was kind and loving the way Gabriel saw it and in every way a mother Dean never had.

The thought made his mood darken in a moment, he had yet to locate Morrígan to take revenge on her, but the goddess probably knew that she was in danger and hid well. The archangel decided that he could be patient, that if he started to chase her now he would soon focus on nothing but on that quest. He needed to be without a goal. To be without a mission, as Dean told him, there was no need for one to exist for him now.

'Well ain't that a rare sight' he heard a voice speak and it made him stop and turn towards it. He saw the campfire first and was surprised that he didn't notice the presence of the man sitting by it sooner. He was clearly not human. The man looked older than Gabriel, but didn't look harmless at all. A large horned helmet rested next to him on the tree-trunk he was sitting on and long lance was next to him by his hand and also a sword in his belt. Gabriel didn't have to focus much to see that he was a god.

'I don't see too many travelers here stranger, so who are you?'

Gabriel let a smile curl up his lips as he spoke.

'I am what I want to be, good, bad and everything in between' he said, reciting Dean's words as similarly as he could, it made the god smile and huff out a small chuckle.

'That kind, eh?' he asked. 'Well, there's enough place here at the fire, and I am willing to share the warmth.'

Gabriel was uncertain for a moment, but then walked closer and sat down to the other side of the small camp. The god didn't speak again and Gabriel chose to stay silent as well.

His grace was pulling him back to where he left Dean... his soul, the child with the Campbell family, but he resisted the urge to go back. Bounding the soul to that bloodline was perilous enough, having Gabriel around too much would just make sure that Heaven would become aware of his presence, but even so it was the safest choice still. That family would exist for a very long time, that bloodline would not die out under any circumstances, Heaven would make sure of that, there was no place where Dean's soul would have been safer. It didn't matter if centuries passed, before Gabriel went back to cut the connection he put between the family and the soul, Dean will be on Earth, his soul would not leave the family bonds... he would have to do nothing but look for the Campbells to find him.

'You have the face of someone who's leaving things behind.'

'Only shadows' Gabriel replied and the man grunted shortly. The angel knew he wouldn't be able to resist to go to Dean again, to see him again, he knew that his body might look different for a while and he would listen to another name in every life that will come to pass, but it will be Dean, his Deandalon deep inside. And maybe he will see his face again too, bloodlines were an interesting matter and no one would notice little changes here and there, he didn't know for sure of course, but he was confident that if Samael managed to open demonic gates all over the globe without Heaven noticing then his handiwork could also stay hidden from unwanted eyes.

He knew that he didn't leave Dean's soul linked to the most peaceful and least dangerous family on Earth, but it was not like he had too many families to choose from, he had to make it work with what he had at his disposal. He could always go to his side and see whether he was well anytime he wanted even if right now it wouldn't have done any good, later when Dean will be old enough again, he will have occasion, even if Dean will look at him as a stranger.

'Name's Odin' the man spoke again.

'I'm Loki' Gabriel answered without hesitation. Dean taught him how to be a god, he would not fail to remember his lessons, after all he had to do something while he waited, it wouldn't be that hard to let... maybe two decades pass by, it was after all nothing but a blink for an archangel.

~ THE END ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment :)

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  This work of fanfiction is licensed under a  [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/) . This is a fan-written derivative work. Nearly all characters, names and places in the story belong to Eric Kripke and all other respective owners.


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